Cruel Irony
by national babe
Summary: "You hold the heart of a hero, yet this society refuses to accept you. I am working towards a world that will crush those who would keep those like you from fulfilling what you are destined to be." Life held a cruel view for Izuku Midoriya, but he would show it that he wasn't weak anymore. A tidal wave of change was coming, and he would be one of the ones at it's head.
1. Tidal Wave

Life held a cruel view for Izuku Midoriya. He'd spent his whole life wanting with all his heart and soul to be a hero, even after being pronounced quirkless. Life only grew more and more into a living nightmare after then, but still he dreamed. Then Bakugo had taken the time to 'advise' him on how to get a quirk. Soon after, he still decided to continue with his dream, no one standing in his way.

Apparently life was fed up with his dream, and brought reality crashing down on the young boy in another cruel twist of irony.

When he needed a hero, a villain came. When heroes should have worked more to save Bakugo, he ran out instead. For his incredibly selfless action, he was heavily reprimanded by heroes, including the all star himself. After saving his life, Bakugo only yelled at the fragile boy.

As he gave up on his dream, the villain returned to bring him a new one. When everyone thought he couldn't be anything, the villain saw potential in Izuku Midoriya. He gave Izuku a new ideal, of a fair world that gave even the powerless an equal chance as the powerful. He offered to mentor Izuku, and the child accepted.

He was ready to show the world that he wasn't weak anymore.

Izuku graduated High school early, severing ties with everyone he'd ever known, aside from his mother. He spent hours listening to his new mentor, digesting every part of his philosophy.

He started inventing for himself, putting his extraordinary brain to use. He used his income, his college, and even plain thievery, with the help of his master, to obtain the money and parts he needed at anytime. Soon he had a wide range of compact tools for any situation he might find himself in. He sketched new ideas in class, while the sound of his teacher's lecture replaced by the eternal drone of his master's words.

"You hold the heart of a hero, yet this society refuses to accept you. I am working towards a world that will crush those who would keep those like you from fulfilling what you are destined to be."

Izuku trained diligently under his master's eye. He developed his body and studied all forms of combat. The gym became a regular for Izuku, with him visiting almost as much as he visited the library. He learned hand to hand combat and weaponry, even how to properly fire a hand gun. He spent hours training his reflexes, practicing switching between his creations.

He willingly gave his master any information he could gather or already knew on any hero. He even went so far as to assist his master during some attacks. He soon stopped feeling pangs of guilt when he saw their demise broadcasted on national tv. A hard gaze replaced guilt, and his constant childlike optimism was seen almost exclusively at home as he basked in his mother's love.

Yes, life had a cruel view for Izuku Midoriya indeed. He realized this and he wonders how his younger self would react to seeing what he has become. All it would take would be for him to look at his master, and he remembered what it all was for.

They would shape the world. They would purge it of false heroes and bring about true justice. And he would be one of the ones at the head of their new world, deciding who was worthy and who was not.

His master got to his feet from where they sat on the rooftop. An imposing figure, he looked down on the streets with a hard gaze. He looked to his pupil as Izuku clambered to his feet as well.

"Set the bait out." Stain said calmly. "It's time."

Izuku nodded, and set off to do his task.

He felt sorry for this hero, but this was the price all false heroes had to pay.

A tidal wave of a change was coming to the world, and it had started long ago.

A/N

One chapter down and there's already a pro hero dead. Well, anyway, let me know what you all think of this first chapter. I've always loved Vill!Deku and a fair bit of this fic was inspired by 'Apotheosis' written by Lord Wolfe. So if you see any similarities here, that's why. That fic is the best I've read so far and it will probably stay there. Also, the next chapter will switch between point of view quite a bit.


	2. Surprises

Izuku opened the apartment door and was instantly greeted to the strong smell of his favourite cookies, freshly baked. He took as deep a breath as he could and sighed loudly.

Izuku still visited and loved his mother dearly. His master accepted this, because he knew Izuku was still young. His pupil often made small trinkets for his mother, showering her with constant affection no matter how much he told Izuku that he was being childish.

"Mom! I'm home!" He called as he stepped into the kitchen. He found his mother there, pulling a towel off of a plate of the goodies.

"Izuku baby!" She wrapped her pride and joy into a bone crushing hug only a mother can give. He returned it with equal vigour, reaching behind her to steal a cookie. "I'm glad to see you again sweetie."

He laughed and spoke around a mouthful of cookie. "Mom, you saw me this morning."

"I know, but with your college and work and all these outings you keep taking, I feel like I don't see you as much anymore." His mother's voice quieted as she told him what shed been worried about.

He hugged her again and kissed the top of her head, being several inches taller than she was now.

"You don't have to worry mom. We may not get to hang out as much anymore, but I will always love you."

She smiled and pulled away. "Thank you Izuku dear."

"Tell you what." He said as an idea came to mind. "How about we go out for coffee tomorrow? It's a Friday, and I don't work."

Her eyes lit up with joy. "That would be wonderful sweetie!"

After a breif third hug, Izuku grabbed yet another cookie.

"So I've just got to know," he said cramming the sweet into his mouth "what is the occasion?"

His mother gave him a light slap on the arm for the cookie thievery. "Can't I treat my son whenever I want?"

"Oh you absolutely can." He nodded vigorously and they both laughed. "I just figured there might be something else contributing here."

She smiled and looked to the side, pretending to think about it. "Well. Maybe something."

"Tell me or I'll eat all of these before bed and not sleep at all." He made a finger gun at her mock threateningly, reaching for the plate of cookies.

"Oh fine. I wanted to wait until they got here, but," she smiled and pulled a letter out of her pocket. "Remember that hero training camp that took interest in you and your work?"

-AT UA HIGH SCHOOL-

Bakugo was barely paying attention during class. This was the third time they've gone over the sports festival. He knew what to expect by now.

"Sit up, Bakugo." Mr. Aizawa reprimanded, before pointing to the back of the class at Iida. "Yes?"

"We all know by now that we will be offered internships depending on our performance in the festival. What can we expect from these, and if I may, what can we expect after?"

Mr. Aizawa nodded. "Planning ahead. Good." He tapped his papers against his desk to straighten them. "Your internships will vary depending on you you intern under. Though you will be getting hands on training, you all should still be studying for the final exams. How well you complete those will determine if you go to the summer training camp or not."

Everyone, including Bakugo, sat up and some started whispering to each other. Momo Yaoyorozu raised her hand as well.

"If you're asking what the camp is like, I'm getting to that." Momo put her hand back down and the class quieted. "Those who make it to the camp will undergo constant, rigorous training. The camp directors have even decided to add new elements to the training." Mr. Aizawa tapped his papers again and continued. "Apparently, some young tech genius caught their eye, and they want to test his inventions at the camp."

Chatter started back up again in the class as Mina loudly whispered "I wonder who it is."

Aizawa shrugged. "Some kid named Izuku Midoriya."

As Bakugo shot up in his seat with a loud "Deku?!" halfway across the city Izuku was jumping about the living room, shouting with joy.

Aizawa raised an eyebrow, though you could hardly tell underneath his bandages. "No. Not Deku. Izuku." As Baugo started spluttering angrily, Aizawa turned his full attention to his student. "Do you want to say something?" The sarcasm didn't go unnoticed, and some snickered.

Bakugo exploded. "Only that Deku is a quirkless nobody!"

"Clearly he's become somebody if heroes who will be training us are interested in him." Tsuyu said calmly, turning her head to look at her raging classmate.

"SHUT IT FROG FACE" Bakugo yelled, only to have the restraining bands that usually rested on Mr. Aizawa's shoulders threateningly hover an inch from his face.

"I would suggest you sit back down Bakugo."

He gritted his teeth, but did as he was told, sitting like he was made from stone. As their teacher continued, Kirishima leaned over to Bakugo and whispered "Hey man, you ok? You've never gotten this violent in class."

He only growled in responce.

It wasn't until Bakugo got home that he finally spoke again. His mother had just hung up the phone and looked at her son.

"You're extra moody. What's happened now?"

He growled. "Deku."

Her eyes light up. "Oh I was wondering about that! Inko just called me and told me that Izuku was getting his inventions tested at a camp. Who would've known it'd be the same one you were going to!"

Bakugo spluttered again. "What the- How did-!?"

She shrugged. "Looks like you two will get to catch up even more!"

Bakugo froze. "Wait. Even more?"

-AT IZUKU'S APARTMENT-

"You invited Kacchan over?"

Inko shuffled a bit, knowing the tension the resided between the former childhood friends. "Well, yes. It's such a splendid occasion, and I've really been wanting to meet up with Mitsuki again."

Izuku looked at the floor for a moment, contemplating, before he shrugged. "Well, I guess there's no stopping it now." He gave a huff. "Here's one reunion I wasn't planning on."

Inko nodded, and the two set about preparing for the visitors while on the other side of the city, Bakugo could be found on the phone, waiting for Kirishima to pick up.


	3. Techie's heaven

Equal cries of "Inko!" and "Mitsuki!" rang out in the apartment as the two mothers hugged each other tightly. Deku smiled politely and shook Masaru Bakugo's hand as Bakugo and Kirishima walked in behind them.

"Pleasure to meet you again Izuku." Masaru smiled at the young man before him, firmly returning the shake. "Congratualtions as well."

Izuku grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Thank you sir." He looked over to a scowling Bakugo. "Glad to see you too Kacchan." The boy growled in return, causing Izuku to sigh and roll his eyes, before turning to the last member. "I'm afraid I don't know you?"

"I'm Kirishima." The red head stuck out his hand and the two shook. "I'm quite possibly the only one who can claim being Bakugo's friend."

Izuku's eyebrows rose significantly. "Really? That's rather impressive. Didn't think he had it in him. You must've changed quite a bit." He cast a sideways look to Bakugo.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He retaliated.

"I didn't think you had it in you to change all that much over a year."

"What do you know!?" Bakugo yelled, causing his father to back away worriedly. Izuku only calmly rubbed his now ringing ear.

"I take it back. You're even louder and more explosive than I remember."

"I HAVEN'T CHANGED AS MUCH AS YOU!" Bakugo pointed wildly at Izuku, who raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What-" Izuku was cut off as Mitsuki grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him in front of her.

"Oh my Izuku!" She gushed turning his face side to side "You have grown up so much in a year!" She ruffled his lower, shorter hair and his unruly top, and poked at the bands in his ears. "Love these, super cute."

He laughed, fully enjoying the attention. "Thank you. I quite like them as well." He rubbed his earrings with two fingers as Mitsuki continued to ramble about how he looked.

"You've grown into quite the fine young man. Better than Katsuki at any rate." She jerked a thumb at her only son, who exploded and started yelling insults and swears at his mother. Kirishima and Masaru both backed away in equal measures of shock and worry.

Before Mitsuki could return the insults, Izuku calmly spoke over the clamour. "Oh, I don't think I agree." The yelling died instantly. "I mean, he did manage to get into the hero program after all."

Mitsuki frowned and bobbed her head from side to side. "I suppose."

Izuku smiled, the pure image of a calm and gracious host. "Anyway, the sports festival is this week. Are you guys excited?"

Kirishima lit up. "Oh yeah man! I am pumped!" He fisted the air as Masaru looked on in wonder at how easily Izuku had diffused the situation.

"Say, Izuku baby. How about you show the boys some of the things you've been working on?" Inko suggested, smiling sweetly at the three loud teens.

"Sure thing!" He turned and waved for them to follow. He opened the door to his bedroom with a theatrical "Ta-da!" and a little wave.

Gone was all the All Might merch which had previously adorned every free inch in his room. There was now only one small lone poster and one sad little figurine which stood next to his bed. Now his walls were lined with shelves and on those shelves sat innumerable small inventions. He plopped down in his chair at his desk and pulled out a strange pair of glasses and gloves.

Bakugo and Kirishima walked in slowly, completely awed by what they saw. Bakugo couldn't believe that all of the hero merchandise was gone, while Kirishima was half tempted to pinch himself. 'I'm in techie heaven' he thought. 'This guy is so cool!'

Izuku handed the glasses and gloves to Kirishima. "This here is the soul reason I haven't gone crazy with frustration yet. Try it."

Far too excited over getting to try his tech, Kirishima quickly put them on, accidentally flipping the on switch. His jaw fell and Izuku smirked behind his fist.

"What?!" Bakugo demanded, not a fan of not knowing what was happening. Kirishima started poking and messing around with what seemed like thin air, his mouth making a perfect 'O'.

"Visual Simulator, or V-Sim. They allow the user to visually plan out, create, and test whatever he wants." Izuku grinned as Kirishima made a stretching motion, like he was pulling putty. "As you can imagine, it saves on resources as it only requires some form of energy. Therefore, if a test fails in the sim, there is no waste left over."

"You could make anything with this!" Kirishima said, poking at what was the most lopsided rubber duck of all time.

"Correction: you can plan out anything with that. Unfortunately, I can't make something out of nothing."

Though he would never admit to it, and he did a fantastic job of hiding it, Bakugo was actually impressed with what the useless nerd had made. They spent a whole hour looking at what all Izuku had created. Masaru had even dropped in at one point and was dumbfounded at it all. He offered to Izuku to suggest him for an internship at the company he worked for, which he accepted with great excitement.

Just before they left the room, something caught Bakugo's eye. It was a small, white, western styled, mechanical dragon, sitting still on the shelf.

"What's that." He asked as moodily as he could muster.

"Hmm?" Izuku turned. "Oh, Aithusa." At its name, the dragon came to life, blinking and tilting it's head. "Due to the fact that I am at least 3 years younger than everyone else in my class, one of them said I wouldn't even be able to make a mechanical cat." Izuku whistled and the dragon Aithusa leaped onto his shoulder. "So I made her and proved them all wrong." He tickled the dragon under her chin and smiled as she stretched and purred.

Bakugo's cool demeanor finally broke and Kirishima looked like he was about to die from excitement.

"You MADE a dragon!"

"Yes." Izuku was taken aback from the sheer amount of enthusiasm radiating from the red head.

"A D R A G O N!"

"She even breathes a little fire." He gave Aithusa a small nudge. "Go on."

She straightened and gave a small puff of fire that barely reached three inches in length but that was an impressive red for something so small.

Izuku looked at Kirishima, who was struck speechless with awe and what must have been true love.

"I'm getting the feeling that you're just a puppy in human form." He remarked with a smirk of pride.

"Can I hold her?" He asked, staring enraptured at the small mechanical creature.

Izuku nodded and Aithusa jumped, flapped her wings once in the air, and settled on the red head's shoulder.

As Kirishima fawned over the dragon, Izuku cut a dry glance to Bakugo.

"Admit it. You're impressed."

Bakugo's normal scowl returned and he stormed out the door with an angry 'tch'. As he left, Aithusa jumped up onto Kirishima's head and curled up.

"I've been blessed." He whispered and you could almost see the stars in his eyes.

"Yeah, I think she likes you."

A/N:

So I had a lot of fun writing Kirishima's true love and, yes, it is a referance to BBC' Merlin. Also, sheesh you guys! I think this is the most popular fic I've ever written and I haven't even done anything with it yet! You guys are too awesome.

On the note of not having done anything yet, the next chapter will actually have something happen, I promise. Don't worry, I have plans and I know where I'm taking this story.

In the mean time, you lovelies are awesome!


	4. The Call

In all honesty, the evening was going quite well. Bakugo wasn't being quite as rude as he could be, Kirishima was still in awe of the dragon on his head, and they all were sitting rather peacefully around the table having dinner. Mitsuki had even given Izuku a present.

"I hope you still like those western comic books. I figured that I should get you something and I couldn't find anything else."

He had gotten very excited when he saw the protagonist's shield, which could deflect anything it seemed.

He laid the book out and pointed to the object as he explained what he had been muttering about.

"See, he has this shield, and it can do just about anything. It can protect from gun fire, he can throw it and it returns to his hand, it even stands up against rocket missiles! But it's impractical in that it's so small!" He started sketching on a napkin as he kept rambling. "Unless he was to run crouched and hiding behind it like a turtle, all you would have to do is shoot him in the legs and you'd win. Not to mention that his back is completely unprotected." He turned his pencil onto the comic book and started shamelessly drawing on the pages. "He would need it to cover more of his body. But how."

He started glaring down at the pages, muttering still, as he started tapping his chin furiously. He didn't even say a word as Kirishima slid the book over so he could get a look.

"That shield reminds me of your quirk." Bakugo remarked, making Izuku pause and whip his head to him.

"I'm sorry?"

Kirishima sat up in his chair, another puppy smile growing on his face.

"Hey, you're right Bakugo! It is kind've is like my quirk!"

Izuku was silent for a second, blinking.

"What is your quirk? I never asked."

Kirishima was delighted to demonstrate, hardening nearly the whole upper half of his body. "Hardening. I can use it much like the shield, nullifying most of any damage directed at me."

"How much of your body can you harden?" Izuku pressed.

"I haven't tested really, but I think my whole body, or at least most of it." Kirishima replied after a moment's thought.

You could see the gears turning in Izuku's mind as he started tapping his chin again. He started muttering aloud. Counting on his fingers and repeatedly shaking his head, he became almost completely dead to what was happening around him as he worked through whatever mental design problem he was working through.

It wasn't until Izuku's phone buzzed on the table that he snapped out of his trance. His eyes widened as he saw who it was and snatched it off of the table.

"Sorry, I've gotta take this." He started heading towards the door. "I'll be back in a minute!" He shut the door behind him and immediately answered the phone. "Master."

He worked to keep his breathing level and calm as he briskly walked out of the building and to a side alley to be sure he had privacy.

He made sure to take everything his master said and did with the utmost respect.

Bakugo decided five minutes was enough time for any phone call, and walked out to find the idiot. It wasn't much of a challenege as he could hear the shouts even before he got out the main doors.

"NO! THAT ISN'T- YOU KNOW FULL WELL-" he paused for a moment, before "YEAH SURE! Blame the kid dealing with parental abandonment!"

He stopped at the corner, looking around it to see Izuku pacing around stiffly and shouting into his phone. He suddenly gawked at thin air.

"You don't know what I could, or could not be dealing with!" He scowled with pure frustration and embarrassment from whatever the person on the other side remarked. "I'm hanging up Master, good night."

True to his word, he hung up and violently shoved his phone into his pocket before jumping around from anger, spewing forth foul language. He eventually stopped and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I wanna die." He muttered quietly, then even quieter, "I can't believe I called him dad."

"Um."

Izuku jumped a full foot in the air and squeaked. Whipping around, he looked at Bakugo with a deer in the headlights expression so comical, Bakugo would have laughed in any other situation. Izuku pointed at him.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"About three minutes. Just enough to hear you go berserk." He took a new look at his former classmate. "Since when did you curse?"

Izuku held up his forefinger, looking almost constipated. "I-" the finger curled down into his fist. "am not going to answer that."

Bakugo tilted his head and stepped fully into alley way.

Izuku had changed drastically in the time they'd been separated. The weak nerd that flinched at any sign of confrontation in every form seemed to be gone completely. In his place stood a capable teen that gave even Bakugo pause despite knowing that he was quirkless.

Izuku looked strangely at Bakugo as the latter advanced on the other. Bakugo almost missed how Izuku slowly shifted his weight to a more fight ready stance. He could never have missed however, the hard look that flashed in his eyes as he readied himself for a fight.

'He's done this before with someone else' Bakugo realized. The thought made him mad for some reason he couldn't pin down. They were only a foot apart now, glaring at each other with pure anger.

"You've changed." Bakugo finally managed to get out.

Izuku raised an eyebrow sarcastically. "You're only getting that now?" The silent message of 'you really must be thick' was clear.

Bakugo stiffened. Useless Deku or not, no one insulted him. No one. He raised a hand, planning to simply grab him by the shoulder, as he had done a year ago, but he was never given the chance.

Quicker than what Bakugo had previously thought possible of the quirkless teen, Izuku grabbed Bakugo by the wrist and body slammed him over his shoulder into the concrete. Bakugo gasped in pain and surprise, but Izuku simply spun on his heel and jumped slightly backwards, fists not even raised. He looked mad.

He looked dangerous.

"That won't work on me anymore, Kacchan." He said, cool as ice.

He looked completely unrecognizable.

The silence grew between them as Bakugo lifted himself and placed his weight on an elbow, the two staring at each other.

"What the HECK!" Kirishima shouted as he looked at the train wreck of a scene before him.

He had figured, what with his constant anger and the tension the resided with the two, that Bakugo would get himself into trouble. But here he was, the most capable fighter in the class, stunned and lying on the ground, having just been judo flipped by Izuku, the biggest tech nerd ever.

Izuku jumped in surprise and shoved his hands in his pockets like he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Bakugo snapped his head to Kirishima so quickly it seemed a miracle he didn't get whiplash. Kirishima started pointing to them indiscriminately as he wildly rushed for words.

"You- how did!" He pointed from Izuku to Bakugo, who was still on the ground. "And what-?!"

"When did you get here?" Izuku asked.

"I- just now!" Kirishima took a deep breath. "Ok. Never mind." He rubbed the bridge of his nose with one hand and waved the other in the air. "I don't know how what I just saw happen, nor why. But it doesn't matter." He walked over and gave Bakugo his hand. "Let's just get inside, it's cold out here."

The rest of the evening proceeded smoothly enough after Kirishima calmed down, until finally, at 10, they were heading out the door.

Izuku had been glad to see them and meet Kirishima, but he'd been restless after his master had called him. He pressed his thumb and forefinger together, a calming trick he had ingrained into himself. Closing his eyes momentarily, he breathed deeply.

Kirishima shuffled and extended his hand, small Aithusa curled up in his palm.

"Thanks for letting me hold her for so long." He smiled at the little tech genious, who smirked.

"You mean fawn over her." He gave a little laugh, and reached to take the dragon, but hesitated. Thinking for a moment, he withdrew his hand. "You know what man? Why don't you keep her?"

Kirishima lit up. "No!" He said, trying to hide his excitement. "Really?!"

"Really." Izuku smiled and disappeared into his room, only to quickly reappear with a small note book. "Here's everything you should need to know."

Kirishima launched himself forward and nearly tackled Izuku in a hug. "DUDE!"

Izuku froze. He genuinely hadn't been this close to anyone other than his mother and Stain in as long as he could remember. His arms stuck out awkwardly and he stuttered.

"Uh, ok. You're welcome I guess?" He patted Kirishima even more awkwardly. "Please get off."

Finally they were all gone. His mother retired to bed almost immediately and Izuku had to restrain himself from changing and heading into the night right then and there. Instead, he forced himself to bed to gain a few hours of rest, and hopefully sleep before he ventured out.

It would do none of them good if he fell and broke his neck because he had no sleep in him.

He closed his eyes and began to meditate.

A/N:

WHOO! Another one down! Tbh, when I'd originally planned this up, I expected to be further along by chapter 4. I must say I much rather prefer drawing this out due to what I know is coming.

Also, I have found another fanfic that I have fallen in love with. 'A deadman's gun' by Nohaijiachi(is that how you spell it?(Why do they need to be so complicated)) on Archive of our own. I don't know if it's here on fanfic net, but that's where I found it and it's beautiful.

Also, dear lovely readers, it t'would be much appreciated if you would tell me how y'all are liking this story, and if you think you've found some plot hole, or anything else.

So long!


	5. Running

The civilian stopped on his way home as pebbles scattered in front of him. Looking up he barely managed to catch a glimpse of a figure, possibly a child, flying above the gap. Another figure, one looking far from child friendly, launched himself after the other.

Izuku's legs burned, but he still ran faster. His heavy lungs told him He needed to rest, but he refused. He flew across the roof tops, no longer stopping at the edges as he used to. He easily jumped great distances. The man chasing him was closing the distance between them, but Izuku wasn't afraid. Instead he was expecting this.

Jumping one last time, he spun in mid air and landed in time to block the fist aimed at his face. The two exchanged blows, Izuku holding his own surprisingly well against the larger man. Despite being weaponless, cold, and panting heavily, Izuku had a wide grin as he fought his opponent. He was enjoying this too much.

Landing a blow to the other's abdomen, Izuku jumped once more and began to run again.

He worked to keep his breathing quieter, remembering something his master had said to him, but it all still sounded far too loud in his ears. Giving a grunt as some thrown object slammed into his shoulder, he decided to focus on other matters. He ran faster.

He was close. So close.

He rolled, dodging whatever weapon his opponent had swung at him. The grown man knew how close they were and was growing more aggressive, pressing the attack to make sure Izuku never reached where he intended.

Izuku leapt backwards as the man landed in front of him and charged. Rolling to the side, Izuku dodged the weapon once more and recognised it as a simple long knife.

'I could use one of those' flashed briefly in Izuku's mind as he jumped over a trap his tricky opponent had placed. He ran once more. Izuku extended his right arm and activated a grappling hook attached to his forearm, and twisted in mid-air. Before he was yanked closer to safety, he whipped out a pistol filled with sleeper darts and shot two in quick succession at his opponent. He was yanked away and was unable to see if either shot hit their target.

He had just enough time to recognise he had reached his destination before his opponent came sailing over the last rooftop.

They fought mercilessly, neither giving the other any chances to land a blow or to catch their breath.

'One.' Izuku thought.

He was awkwardly trying to balance wrestling for the knife in one hand of his opponent and keeping the other away from his own throat. His opponent tripped him and he hit the concrete hard, but still pushed himself away before he gained a new hole in his face. Rolling to the side, he lept to his feet.

'Two.'

He charged, dodging the long knife, and sent his opponent to the concrete as well. Their wrestle for the knife and each other's throats began again. The man kicked Izuku off of himself. Izuku in turn jumped backwards and stood his ground.

"Three!" Izuku held up his watch and threw his hood back, the moonlight illuminating his face. His head and hair was covered by an all black ski mask and he wore a pair of ski goggles to match. The lower half of his face was covered by a mask that remained white, except for where it met his mouth, which was green at the base and was covered in tubes. It functionally filtered out smoke, toxins, and most quirk gasses to an extent.

The other man paused, then looked to his own watch. He let out a puff of air and smiled.

"Not bad kid." Stain praised his pupil as the two straightened from their fighting stances. Stain walked over to Izuku who pointed a finger at him. "Held your own for three minutes, not including the run, which would have given enough time for any police or heroes to catch up."

"And I did it without the use of deadly weapons." Izuku added to the praise, pulling off the mask, goggles, and ski mask. He stood. He breathed deeply and enjoyed the cold air searing his throat and lungs.

Stain ruffled his pupil's hair. "Not bad at all."

The smile of pure happiness and pride from Izuku glowed in the pitch darkness.

The two sat at the edge of the roof top, pulling water bottles from where they hung on their belts and took large gulps. A peaceful silence hung over them. Finally, Stain handed the long knife kept securely in its sheath to Izuku.

"You've earned another one."

Izuku smiled with pride in himself, glad that his master felt that he was worthy of another blade. Accepting the gift, he shook back the left sleeve of his coat. He attatched the blade to his forearm and nodded at how well his sleeve hid the deadly weapon.

"Thank you master."

Stain nodded. "Now tell me what was so important about this evening that you couldn't come sooner."

And Izuku did. He told Stain about the letter, how his mother had invited her old friend, how he and Kacchan had unexpectedly reunited, and meeting Kirishima. He told about the comic book, his new ideas, his confrontation with Bakugo, and how he meditated instead of getting actual sleep.

He pulled out his notebook and showed Stain the barely readable scribblings. Kirishima's quirk had inspired Izuku and he was developing an upgrade to his coat. The coat already was fire and explosion proof, and it effectively covered his whole body while still being lightweight. But the fact that it was so light was negated by the protective padding he had to wear to avoid serious damage to himself. His solution was to design a fabric that was pliable and light, but that could protect him from blows.

His current model he deemed to have the best chance of working would, when hit, expand and harden. This would effectively negate most damage thrown his way.

Stain nodded as his student rambled. He had become well acquainted with the child's long winded conversations, and had learned when to silence the boy and when to put him back on track. Tonight though, he just let Izuku talk.

He thought back to the weak child he'd met a year ago. That Izuku had been stripped of any self-confidence and had never known what it was like to have someone believe in him. The boy had been frail, physically and mentally. Stain had spent hours, days even, building Izuku's mind back up again until Izuku had new confidence and purpose.

Izuku had been so weak, yet he had pushed himself dangerously close to the breaking point on many occasions. It was a miracle that his mother hadn't freaked out completely the first time she had seen his bruises and tired expressions. Izuku told her it was a training program one of his teachers was having him do. It was the truth after all.

Slowly, Izuku developed. His growth improved after he got his bearings in mechanics and design. He was still far from where Stain was, but he was gaining ground.

'He'll be better than me sooner or later.' Stain frowned slightly at the thought. He was immensely proud of how far Izuku had come, and how dedicated he was to the cause, but he was a child. He was so full of optimism and faith that the world would change into what they were working towards. He didn't realize that it would take either years, decades maybe even, or something of catastrophic proportions to sway the people. He didn't want to chain Izuku to a life such as his until they both died. He needed to be with his mother and friends.

"Sensei?" Izuku had stopped his rambling and was staring at Stain. "Is something wrong?"

Stain opened his mouth, intending to tell him everything he was thinking of, but was stopped by the purely innocent look in his student's eyes.

"Nothing. My mind went away from me for a second. What were you saying?"

Izuku pulled his mouth to the side in a strange frown. "It was nothing." He turned and they looked out at the city below.

"This Bakugo. He's the one you ran out to save from the sludge villain correct?" Izuku gave a disheartened grunt, not looking at his master. "Is something the matter?"

"It's just," Izuku gestured vaguely. "He has the drive and determination to be a hero, and he wants to be the best in whatever he is doing. But, he's so angry. Whenever he loses at something, even if it is just by the smallest amount, he goes almost feral. He can't deal with anything that's unexpected, especially if it's something negative." Izuku brought his knees up to his chest and hugged them, glaring moodily out at the city. "I hope he changes. If he doesn't, well, it seems rather hypocritical to save him one day only to destroy his career or kill him later."

Stain looked away from his pupil, staring at the city as well. "Sometimes we have to do things that seem distasteful." He didn't fail to notice how Izuku's shoulders hunched inward at the words. "If it's true that this boy has found a good friend, then maybe he will change before we have to intervene."

Izuku stilled. He hadn't thought of how Kirishima influenced the scene. He smiled and relaxed.

"Perhaps."

He leaned to the left and let his head fall on Stain's shoulder. The older man grunted, but didn't push him off. They stayed like that for a few minuets, neither admitting how they enjoyed the silent company.

Finally Stain stood. Izuku frowned as his human pillow moved away, but stood as well.

"It's late, you need to get home."

Izuku sighed. "Yeah." He did feel tired. He had almost fallen asleep a minute ago.

As if on cue, headlights shone in the alley below and sirens blared. Someone had seen them. Several more headlights flicked on, promoting Stain to run.

"Well this is an interesting twist!" Izuku said from beside him, voice distorted by his mask.

Stain grunted. 'How does he get that stupid thing on so quickly?'

The two ran, Izuku easily keeping up with his master, though that wouldn't last long. They both knew that the boy was tired, and he would soon lose speed.

They needed to get out of there quickly.

Izuku reached into a pocket and pulled out something small and round. He threw it and heard a satisfying crack. A large mass of energy expanded in front of them, easily matching the size of a doorway. Izuku pointed as they drew closer.

"Mine! Together!" Long sentences are pointless in a situation such as this.

Stain nodded once, trusting his pupil, and picked him up bodily. He threw the boy over his shoulder and jumped through the portal.

A/N:

Yay! We finally get Stain! Honestly, I LOVE him as a villain and I've been excited on writing him. I really wanted to establish Izuku's and Stain's relationship here early on and I hope you all see what I'm going for here. The two are close. Though they refuse to admit to it, Izuku has begun to see Stain as a father figure, and Stain sees him as like a son. Stain was literally the first person to believe that Izuku could be something. Izuku was the first person to look at Stain like he wasn't crazy, and that what he belived in was true. They of course do have their differences, mainly in that Izuku tries to avoid killing those he thinks are at least somewhat better than the rest and that there has to be other pros who are as good as All Might.

Regardless, the two are very close, and this is gonna get stressed more in later chapters.

So long!


	6. Rest

Stain landed heavily on the floor, Izuku still slung over his shoulder. Before he could even blink, the light from the helicopters and police cars vanished in a loud pop. He turned, and saw that the mass of energy they had jumped through had vanished. His eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness, and he found he was in his own rundown apartment.

Izuku twitched and Stain let him climb down to the ground. The boy got to his feet unsteadily, holding a hand to his head.

"Ok. Maybe two people is too much for one portal." The boy stumbled and Stain sat him down on the mattress. After flicking the lighting on, the older man sat down next to him.

"Everything alright?"

Izuku nodded. "Only a little disoriented and tired. I'll live."

Stain gave a grunt. Now that his adrenaline was wearing off, he found his head was spinning as well. He could only imagine how the boy felt. He reached up and pulled off his mask and bandanna, Izuku following suit.

"How'd you do it?"

The boy grinned and reached into his lab coat, pulling out a small metallic marble. He offered it to Stain.

"With this marvel of mechanical engineering." After a brief description, Stain handed it back.

"Smart."

Izuku chuckled. "If I let this out onto the market, well, I could make millions, easy."

"You could make millions with half of the inventions you've created." Stain remarked dryly. "The police force would love you."

Izuku scoffed. "And give up this?" He gestured vaguely. "Running from said police and hiding in rundown apartment buildings? No. This is the life." He smirked at his own sarcasm and rolled his head to look at his master.

Stain grinned and ruffled Izuku's hair, which was becoming a bad habit. Izuku smiled and closed his eyes, humming.

"Tired." He mumbled sleepily.

"You should rest." Stain stood, allowing space for Izuku to stretch out on the mattress.

"Can't." Izuku frowned, eyes still mostly closed. "Going out with mom tommorow."

"Oh?"

Izuku nodded. "Coffee. She'll worry if I'm not there in the morning."

"I'll wake you in a few hours. You'll fall and break your neck if you go out like this, even if you aren't on the rooftops. That, and there are also heroes and police everywhere."

Izuku frowned again, opening one eye. "But-"

Stain shoved him lightly and the boy crashed onto the pillow. "Shut up and listen to your father."

Izuku scowled, already half asleep. "You're not my dad."

"No back-talk either."

Stain looked at the form of his sleeping pupil, dragging a hand down his face.

"I'm too attatched to this kid." He muttered. It would have been better for the kid if he had used his big brain for the police force or heroes. He could have lived a life that would end happily. But instead he had dedicated himself to a vigilante's cause, forced to run from the police time after time as they cut more fake heroes down. The boy had a big heart. It deserved to be used somewhere else.

Stain shook his head, clearing his mind. He sat cross legged on the floor, beginning to meditate.

The only reason the kid was where he was mentally and hadn't yet jumped a building was due to Stain having intervened. It could have been true that someone else would have come along and saved him, but Stain had and what was done was done. There is no point in these trains of thought.

Stain took deep breaths and meditated as Izuku slept undisturbed next to him.

A/N:

Two chapters in one day. Whoo! Wasn't that a cute dad and son scene? I love writing their interactions, it makes me happy. Short, but sweet.

Also, next chapter is where things start heating up, so be prepared for that. Remember: I am terrible person. See if you can guess what imma do ;p

As always, please review and so long!


	7. The Crash

'Izuku, you know I love you and I'm very proud of you, yes?' Inko Midoriya had smiled over at her son and wished she could have taken her hands off the wheel so that she could have hugged him.

Izuku had smiled at his mother. 'Yeah of course Mom. I love you too.'

'I'll always support you Baby.'

If she meant that, then why was he being dragged away from the crumpled heap of metal? Why couldn't he hear anything? Why were there heroes and police around him?

"Mom?"

Where was his mother?

-UA-

Aizawa looked up from his notes, an irritated scowl adorning his features.

"What is that sound?"

The sound in question was a low mechanical purring.

Bakugo turned in his seat to look at Kirishima.

"You brought it with you?"

Kirishima's adorable guilty expression had no effect on neither Bakugo nor Aizawa.

"She'd have gotten lonely!"

Bakugo scowled as well. "No, it wouldn't have."

"You don't know that!" Kirishima clutched his bag closer to him, the purring getting louder.

"Actually, I do. It has an off switch, I'm sure."

Kirishima looked horrified as Aizawa intervened.

"You brought an animal into my class?"

Kirishima shifted as everyone looked at him. "She's not an animal, exactly."

"Bring it out." Kirishima shifted again, guilty. "Bring it out." Aizawa emphasized.

Kirishima slowly unzipped his bag, the purring growing louder, and pulled out a small, mechanical dragon curled up on his palm.

"Surprise?"

Kirishima was surrounded by all of the girls in an instant. Cries of 'Oh how cute!' and 'WHERE DID YOU GET A DRAGON?' along with 'What? Let me see!' soon flooded the room. At the very center of it all was Aithusa proudly soaking in all the attention.

"I went to that guy Midoriya's house with Bakugo and he gave her to me!" Kirishima happily explained standing on his seat so everyone could see. "The dude is the biggest tech nerd I have ever met!"

As even Todoroki got in closer to see, Bakugo turned and scowled out the window.

It was no big freaking deal. Just a mechanical dragon made by a useless nerd. Neither were actually special. And it was a Western dragon to boot. The idiot couldn't figure out how to make it work without wings like literally every Eastern dragon.

The door slid open quietly.

"Katsuki Bakugo." Midnight stood in the doorway, for once looking completely somber. The class quieted instantly. "Your mother is insisting she talk to you."

Bakugo slowly got out of his seat and walked to the door, accepting the phone without a word. Midnight allowed him room to pass, then nodded for Aizawa to come out as well.

"Keep the noise down Kirishima. Other classes are still in session." Aizawa instructed, then closed the door as well.

Kirishima looked to his dragon.

"Honestly, I don't see what Bakugo has against Midoriya. He's just a straight up cool guy. I mean, he works out, he is a total genious, and he basically has nerd heaven as his bedroom. What's even weirder is that they used to be good friends."

Bakugo brought the phone to his ear as the teachers began to talk quietly.

"Yeah, what do you want?" He growled.

He was greeted to the sound of his mother panting heavily and, crying?

"Katsuki, oh thank goodness, there you are."

He was taken aback that she didn't even reprimand him for his insolent attitude.

"Mom?" A hint of worry entered his voice. He had never heard his mother cry before.

"It - it's Inko and - Izuku"

-CRASH SITE-

Izuku pushed weakly against the arms pulling him away. He strained to hear anything.

Where was his mother?

His blurry vision finally focused on the crumpled heap of metal. It focused on the men trying to pry the driver side door away, paramedics standing expectantly to the side.

Sound came back all too quickly. His own screams were the first thing he heard.

Pedestrians, cops, and heroes alike backed away as the incredible scream escaped the boy. The hero dragging him away, who had been previously speaking in a calming voice, lost her grip on the boy as he thrashed with a hidden strength.

Izuku dashed forward, running as he had never run before. A stronger pair of arms wrapped around him now, but he didn't immediately register. He yelled for his mother, the sound easily carrying over the blaring sirens.

The female hero got in front of him again, desperately trying to use her calming quirk on Izuku.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm sure she's fine." She tried to turn his face so she could lock eyes with him, to give her the best chance. Izuku choked on his own screams, grunting with immense sobs. "It'll be alright."

He shook his head, huge tears streaming down his face. His intellect caught up with his mouth.

"Seventy miles per hour, head on collision with driver side of vehicle, driver looking away." He gasped, shakily taking in a breath.

She looked to the hero who was restraining Izuku. 'We've got a smart one' was the silent message. She turned back to him.

"I'm sure it'll all be fine dear."

"No." He moaned, bowing his head to the ground.

He clenched his entire body and screamed horribly like a dying animal. The pained sound traveled for miles as the paramedics finally got their hands on the cold body.

-UA-

Todoroki was the one to notice.

"Where's he going?"

He pointed out the window where Bakugo could be seen running as fast as he could out of the school grounds.

Kirishima opened the window. "Hey! Where are you-"

The sound could barely be heard, but it chilled the whole class to the bone.

Aizawa opened the door, the whole class looking to him, and stepped in to deliver the news.

-CRASH SITE-

Mitsuki pushed her way through the crowd.

"Let me through!" She ordered and the crowd listened. She shoved the useless female hero aside and kneeled in front of Izuku. She combed her fingers through his hair gently. "Izuku, it's me. Mitsuki."

He looked at her, barely recognizing her. He let out another choked sob.

She pulled the arms of the other hero away and picked Izuku up, holding him in her arms as easily as if he was 3 years old. The cops stepped forward, intending to tell her to leave the scene.

"Get back!" She snarled. The men froze, faltering at the anger and hurt in her voice. "I am the best friend of his mother, and he WILL come with me." She held the keening boy tighter, marching briskly to her car as her husband pulled up. People gave her and the broken child a wide berth.

She snapped the back seat door open and placed Izuku inside, following him and closing the door again.

"Home." She ordered, and Masaru obeyed.

"Do they know where we live?"

"I'm sure they'll follow us by the plate. I will not let them take him away to be prodded like a zoo animal." She pulled Izuku closer to her and started combing his hair with her fingers again. "I'm sorry dear." He hiccuped, and quieted marginally. "I'm here for you Izuku." She held his limp hand in her free one. "Shh, now. I'm here."

-later-

Bakugo arrived at his house as his parents pulled up. He froze as an entirely silent and dull Izuku was pulled out by Mitsuki. Bakugo watched as Izuku was carried inside, limp as a wet noodle.

Masaru walked over to his son.

"Why is he, so, still?" Bakugo could barely get any words out.

"I'm not sure." His father answered as Mitsuki opened the door to their home and stepped inside. "I'm not sure son, but I don't think it's better than him thrashing and screaming." Bakugo looked on in shock as his mother closed the door behind her with a loud click. "I think it's worse."

Izuku Midoriya's heart broke that day as he sat still and dull on the bed in the spare room. Another tear slowly tracked down his cheek, wiped away by another woman who was not his mother.

'I love you and I'm very proud of you. I'll always support you Baby.'

His mother was gone.

A/N:

I am now a dissapointed terrible person. None of you guessed what I was do :( It doesn't matter though as I am still a terrible and imma do it anyways.

Also, we will get to the camp arc when we get there, RyuujinHimari. We have the tournament AND the internship arcs to get through first. Rush me not. We can't exactly skip all that with Iida and Stain fighting and whatnot.

Regardless, you lovies are amzaing as always. Keep the reviews up and SO LONG!


	8. Grief

Mina quietly picked up the two bags her classmates had dropped. She slung them both over her free shoulder.

"Want a hand Ashido?" Sero politely offered, but she shook her head.

"Thanks man, but I've got this."

She quietly walked out the door and headed to Bakugo's house. Aithusa climbed out of Kirishima's bag and perched on her shoulder, making an inquisitive peep.

"He left so quickly he left you too huh?"

Kirishima had loudly demanded to be let out once he had heard the news, but Aizawa wouldn't hear it.

'You WILL stay here and let the close friends grieve alone.' he had commanded. 'There is a time and a place to intrude on their grief, and they will still be there when you leave here in an hour and a half.'

The second the bell rang, even though Aizawa hadn't properly dismissed them, Kirishima had bolted out the door, shoving through students with barely any apology.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he still loves you." She reassured the little dragon and rubbed Aithusa's forehead. The dragon purred and pushed against the finger in pleasure. "You really are so cute."

The two walked in silence the rest of the way to the Bakugo household. She had walked there with Kirishima once and had started visiting from time to time. Before, she would come to play video games or train. Now she was delivering school bags to a grieving family.

She rung the bell tentatively.

Mitsuki opened the door, looking like she had aged a decade in the span of an afternoon. It clashed with the delicious smell of simple beef stew wafting through the open door.

"Kirishima and Bakugo forgot their bags." Mina offered them with a kind smile.

Mitsuki's shoulders sagged and she gave a forlorn smile.

"Thank you dear." She took the bags, Aithusa holding onto the strap on one of them.

"How are they doing?"

Mitsuki sighed and dragged a hand down her face.

"Kirishima is doing what he can to get Izuku to talk, and Bakugo is simply being there for him. I don't think he knows what to do really." Her eyes looked bloodshot as she stared at nothing. "Izuku," she folded her arms "is not doing well, worse than you would already imagine. At first he was screaming, kicking, and thrashing." Her voice caught as she choked up. "Now, he's just, still."

Mina hung her head, wishing she could do something.

"I'm sorry sweetie, you should go home." Mitsuki kindly laid a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "I wouldn't want your family worrying."

Mina nodded. "Yeah, ok." She looked up and met Mitsuki's eyes. "Listen, I think I speak for at least most of the class when I say, if there is anything at all that I can do, I will." She gave the grieving mother a confident smile. "I want to be there for my friends."

Mitsuki fought to keep her voice under control. "That's very kind of you dear."

Mina gave the older woman a hug, and stepped back. "Well. Good-bye, I am truly sorry, and good luck as well."

Mitsuki waved, shut the door, and crumpled, the tears finally catching up with her. Masaru came rushing over and awkwardly comforted his grieving wife.

-later-

"Katsuki, Kirishima." The two looked at Mitsuki as she stood in the doorway, a small bowl of stew in one hand. "Dinner is finished. Go eat, leave me with Izuku for a bit."

Kirishima reluctantly nodded, placing Aithusa Izuku's lap before he stood and walked out.

"Cheer him up, ok girl?"

Bakugo didn't move.

"Katsuki." His mother's warning was laced with weary sadness.

He silently got up as well, casting one last look at silent and dull Izuku as small Aithusa chirped at him.

Mitsuki closed the door behind them and sat down next to Izuku. She pulled up a foldable table and set it next to his bed, placing the hot stew on the surface.

"Please Izuku." She begged him quietly. "Please, I know what you are going through." She turned him to face her, remembering the time she had lost her own parents. "Dear, please, let us be there to help you."

He blinked, a single tear building in his dull eye.

She pulled him to lean on her again, slowly rubbing his back. "Don't become unresponsive. You'll only hurt yourself and others in the process. Cry, rage, laugh, anything. Just not this." She let tears of her own roll down her face and drip onto his head. "Please not this."

He trembled lightly, barely moving to hold onto her. The two stayed there, crying silently, until Izuku finally fell asleep.

She laid him on his pillow and wrapped him in a blanket. She kissed his forehead, and left the room.


	9. The Lunch

Three days passed.

Bakugo and Kirishima were pestered by their worried classmates when they arrived on Monday. Katsuki exploded at them, but Kirishima calmly told them all the delicate situation.

Izuku was barely eating. Mitsuki would bring him a sandwich, rice, or stew, only to come back later to find him asleep again or staring into space with only a few bites taken.

Finally, on Tuesday, they held the funeral. Mitsuki was the only one of importance who came up for a speech, Izuku sitting still in his seat.

Izuku broke when they lowered the casket. He started trembling and Kirishima barely managed to catch him before he would have crumpled to the ground. New tears wracked the broken boy's frame as Mitsuki dashed to hold him again.

They held a lunch at Izuku's and Bakugo's Middle school, in the gym area. Several of their former classmates had arrived, but what really stuck was when the entirety of class 1-A showed up.

Bakugo was surprised to say the least.

"They asked if there was anything they could do, so I told them where the lunch was going to be." Kirishima explained. "I cleared it with your mother first of course."

Kirishima guided an empty looking Izuku to the group, introducing them. "This is Uraraka. I've told you about her before, she levitates things. And this Kaminari, Sero, Tsuyu,-"

Finally, Bakugo dragged an intimidated Izuku away. He placed Izuku in front of him in the small hallway and looked dead into his eyes.

"Look Deku." Izuku gave a little twitch as the old nickname and the threatening growl. "I get it. You're upset. But for the sake of all the gods, you're better than this!" He shook Izuku lightly. "You have people who are working to help you for goodness sake! All of my classmates came simply for you, idiots that they are." The two stared unblinkingly at each other. "You have grown into a fighter finally and now you are just giving up?! You have things you need to do in this world idiot!"

Izuku blinked first. Bakugo saw reality click behind Izuku's eyes as they lit up a fraction. A small surge of color tinted the frail boy's cheeks and his mouth twitched.

"Kacchan"

Bakugo stood up fully. "It's about time." He walked towards the door. "Think about what I said or whatever. Just stop being an idiot."

Before he could leave, Izuku called out.

"Kacc - Katsuki wait!"

Bakugo halted. Izuku had never called him by his first name for as long as he could remember. He slowly turned.

Izuku had his hand stretched out, like he was going to grab hold of Bakugo. He pulled back and smiled.

"Thank you. You're right."

Bakugo blinked, then shrugged, acting like it didn't matter to him.

"Whatever Dek - Izuku."

Izuku grinned, and Bakugo couldn't help smiling a fraction as well. Izuku walked up to him.

"Can I go with you? I don't really remember any one out there much."

Bakugo opened the doors with a loud 'tch'. "It's not like anything's changed idiot. You're still Deku and that's that."

Izuku gave a little shrug.

"Well, maybe I can be Deku who can do anything."

Bakugo growled and looked away. "Whatever."

On the other side of the gym, Mitsuki smiled with relief, seeing life back in Izuku's eyes. 'He'll be alright' she thought as Izuku took small bites of a sandwich and bantered with Bakugo. 'He'll be alright. Bless my idiot son, he's actually useful.'

Izuku spent the next hours talking happily with those in class 1-A. He asked politely about their own families, and why they wished to become heroes. He kept a neutral face when popularity and riches reoccurred, but still kept up conversation. Except for Mineta, who had come simply for the girls and who Izuku promptly started ignoring.

He found that Uraraka and Tsuyu were surprisingly calming to talk to, which Bakugo found astonishing given that Izuku had never spoken with a girl his age all his life. Even Mei Hatsume showed, interested on if Kirishima was pulling her leg or not about the tech genious.

Izuku found Iida and Todoroki great company to be around as well. He wondered why Todoroki seemed to be always angry deep down, and how he had gotten so good at hiding it. Izuku decided over all, this wasn't the time to press, so he let it drop, but made a mental note to look into Todoroki regardless.

They talked for hours, hints of the old Izuku showing through. He smiled fully for the first time in three days. He laughed lightly when Kaminari pulled a crude fart joke and was slapped by Jiro. He ate a whole sandwich, realizing for the first time that he was starving. He grew excited as he told them about his immense knowledge on heroes and quirks. He embarrassedly told about his old dreams of gaining a quirk and becoming the best hero.

"Of course, tech will only get you so far. A quirkless kid who couldn't even block a punch would have never made it as a hero." He remarked dryly.

Uraraka sat forward in her seat. "Don't say that! You're amazing! And you have the heart of a true hero, and the brains to beat anyone I'm sure!"

The others around the table all rushed to agree, and to add on to the praise. Izuku started tearing up, chin trembling. The others all faltered and looked to Bakugo worriedly.

"Well done. You've made him cry again."

"That's the nicest thing anyone my age has ever said to me!" Izuku mumbled, wiping his eyes.

Uraraka flailed her arms about in a panic. "Ahh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry!"

"Nah its," he took a deep breath through his nose and looked up. "Sorry, it's ok, really. I just, wasn't really expecting that, is all."

Through it all, Bakugo never left his side. He didn't say much, just sat there with his arms crossed and wearing a scowl, but he was there. He stood to the side, glaring at whenever someone crowded Izuku too much.

By the end of the day, Izuku was happily laughing and standing mostly straight. He cracked jokes and tinkered with some supplies Mei brought. He created a mini airplane, sent it sailing, then dismantled it as quickly as he had expertly created it. His eyes sparkled when he talked about his love of mechanics, and he and Mei started a long conversation over any subject mechanically or scientifically inclined. He started looking like how a young, confident teen should.

He finally politely excused himself from the table, telling the class he was going to go home early. He paused as he turned away, then spun on his heel and hopefully asked, "Can I consider you guys my friends?" He shuffled, and scratched the back of his head. "Aside from Kacchan I've never really had friends my age before."

"Of course!" Iida smiled confidently at Izuku as the others nodded. "I, at least, would be honored to consider you a friend."

"Yeah, totally dude!" Mei stood up and fisted the air. "I've never met someone else who loves mechanics as I do!"

"Me too!" Uraraka flashed a brilliant smile.

"Count me in!" Kaminari and Sero said almost simutainiously.

"You gave me Aithusa man! And you're straight up the coolest!" Kirishima gave Izuku a small friendly punch on the shoulder.

Todoroki smiled and nodded as Momo shine with excitement. "I would love to have another good friend such as yourself!" She exclaimed happily.

"Like Iida said. We all would be honored to have you as a friend." Tsuyu honestly said. "We all want to be there for you."

Izuku fought to keep his voice steady, emotions welling in his chest. "Thank you, guys. You are the best too. I'm honored to consider you all as Friends as well."

He smiled, turned, and walked away. He brushed away some traitorous tears when he was sure no one was looking. Soon, he was sitting quietly in the car, smiling as Masaru drive him to his temporary home.

When they entered, he simply told the older man that he was going to do a therapy video, then go to sleep. Masaru accepted what Izuku told him and promised not to disturb the boy.

Izuku closed the door, and stepped around all of his recovered tech.

He sat down in his chair, started recording, and took a deep breath.


	10. Goodbye

Bakugo's scream of anger and pain and the sound of him sending an explosive fist into the wall stilled the frolicking class, silence dominating the room. They each looked to one another.

What had happened now?

\- previous night -

Izuku jumped and tumbled across the rooftops. His skill was undermined by his tumultuous emotions and the heavy pack resting on his back. He felt like he was carrying a millstone, but he still jumped the distance. His feet slid on more than one occasion but he continually caught himself before he fell to his near certain death.

'That would be the last thing I need.' He thought vaguely. 'They would all believe I was simply suicidal.'

He couldn't have that.

'I talked to a friend who reminded me that I have things to do still.' His own words rung in his head, causing Izuku to nearly miss another jump.

He paused and took another look behind him, the faces of every one he knew flashing in his mind. His goodbyes had left an awful bittersweet taste in the back of his throat, but he knew that if he were to go through with this all, then he needed to say good bye somehow.

He huffed, turned, and continued running.

\- present time -

Bakugo was shaking violently in the chair. The useless nerd's stupid video playing mockingly before him.

"I know how horribly cruel this is for me to do, but you were right Kacchan." The boy somehow looked sympathetic and tortured at the same time. "I do have things to do, and this means saying goodbye again."

Katsuki grit his teeth to a painful degree.

"Y - you - barely said - You left with barely a word l - last time." His voice shook unnaturally and he could hardly get the words out. Breathing began feeling like someone was slicing unto his chest.

The video kept playing as Izuku sighed.

"I know this isn't what you need to hear, but I need to say this first."

Bakugo labored to raise his bowed head enough so the two could look each other eye to eye once more. The recorded Izuku looked more serious than Katsuki had ever seen him.

"Everything you've ever done to me. Every time you've cut me down, hurt me, or attacked," Katsuki found he couldn't breathe as Izuku paused "it all doesn't matter now."

\- previous night -

Izuku eyed the large jump ahead. He hopped back and forth slightly, gearing up. He ran forward, leaping with his all his strength.

He crashed into the ledge, the roof edge slamming painfully into his chest.

\- present -

Katsuki roared and slammed his fists into the desk. All of the caged emotions he had been trying to keep locked up exploded out of him. He felt like he was being torn open as Izuku kept talking.

"I forgive you."

Katsuki bellowed and punched the wall, his fist igniting in a large explosion.

\- previous -

Izuku barely got a foot underneath himself in time to stop a his fall. He grunted as the edge seemed to press with vengeance into his ribcage. Breathing was painful and he was sure he was making far too much noise than Stain would have ever alowed him too.

The image of his master flashed before his eyes and he grit his teeth.

\- present -

Bakugo was still destroying the room. The Izuku in the video was picking up speed in his rant now as Bakugo disintegrated a chair.

"You need to be better yet!"

Bakugo wanted nothing more than to pummel to useless idiot. Make him pay for trying to leave.

A desk fell in half as Bakugo punched it. Izuku kept ranting at him, repeatedly telling him that he needed to be better.

\- previous -

Izuku scrambled for a perch for his other foot. He strained to push himself upwards even an inch.

'No'

A strange iron will took him, filling him with fire.

'I will not let this be the end'

He pushed himself up onto his elbows, grunting with the effort. Tears flowed out of his eyes, making little pools behind his goggles.

'I have too much left to do'

He slapped one hand down onto the roof top, pushing himself up further.

With a burst of strength he jumped up, collapsing onto the roof.

\- present -

"Bakugo I-"

Bakugo stilled as the Izuku in the recording quieted, his voice cracking.

Izuku's head was bowed, his posture mimicking how Bakugo himself had been only moments before.

"I NEED you to be better." Izuku shook. Bakugo could tell that he was holding something back.

"You HAVE to be better." Izuku's voice was laden with emotion, unlike anything Katsuki had heard from him. His shoulders shook and Bakugo got the uneasy feeling that Izuku was fighting off tears.

The door to his room opened and Izuku stopped the video as Masaru poked his head in the room.

\- previous -

Izuku looked up and behind him. His mentor stood above him, out of costume.

"I was going to lend a hand."

Izuku felt more tears flow as he lay there, gasping out a sob. The sound was oddly distorted by his mask, but he could barely hear it, his emotions drowning all else.

Stain sighed, and knelt down to help his reckless student to his unsteady feet. This was the second time he'd had to deal with an emotionally wrecked Midoriya. The foundations he had built in the boy's mind were shaking from the disappearance of a main support pillar.

Stain pulled off Izuku's backpack and slid off the duffel bag that hung over his own shoulder. He pulled out a hoodie and a pair of regular shoes. They were a pair that Izuku had left one day and now he returned them to his student.

"Take off your costume. You'll only get recognised." Izuku made a barely audible apology as he fumbled with his coat straps. "You're lucky half of the police force isn't on your tail." The scold held barely weight to it and his pupil pulled off his head gear and moved onto his boots.

Izuku sniffed. "No. Sorry for-" his voice petered off and he made almost indistinguishable gestures.

Stain sighed, folding the costume into the duffel bag. He slung it over his shoulders and Izuku's backpack and stood.

"If anyone should be sorry in this situation, it isn't you."

He picked his student up and quickly made his way down to the ground, regardless that he was effectively carrying his own body weight. He set Izuku on his own two feet, and they began slowly walking towards Stain's apartment. Stain kept his arm around Izuku the whole way as the boy was already half asleep.

He let Izuku sleep in his bed, resigning himself to a cold night on the thin spare mattress. Izuku curled in on himself under the covers, making a small whimper. Akaguro Chizome brushed Izuku's messy hair back from his eyes gently.

They had a rough week ahead of them.

A/N:

YIKES! So sorry for the horribly long update! I hit a major writer's block and on top of that this was simply a beast for me to write for some unknown reason. If any of you recall, in the last a/n, I said I was going to write this chapter mostly from the camera's pov.

Yeah that was crap.

I updated that chapter and took that down, and now I am owning up to it here. I shamelessly went back on my word.

Anywho! Things should be getting back on track here soon. These next few chapters will probably be pretty Bakugo heavy as I have a train of a force of character development coming for my boy. We're so close to the internship arc! I AM HAPPY.

Again, sorry for the wait, and so long my lovies!


	11. The Analyst

Katsuki opened the front door silently, looking up at the smiling blond woman.

"He isn't suicidal." He bluntly stated.

She kept smiling despite his rude manner. "After what I've heard of how you and your parents treated my predecessor when she suggested that he was, I would think he wasn't."

Katsuki stayed still for a moment, blocking the doorway, before finally stepping to the side and allowing the woman to pass.

"Thank you." She politely nodded to him as he held the door open.

She had been right about how they treated the previous 'professional' when she watched the videos and pronounced Izuku was merely suicidal. Aftet having taken no effort in properly analyzing the general goodbye video that Izuku had stated was for anyone to watch, she bitterly said that such small cases such as a suicide kid was of no real importance when your desk is flooded with demands on 'Stain's Apprentice'. When you have a grief stricken family, two of whom are very emotionally charged into violence, that is far from wise to say. Mitsuki almost physically threw the 'analyst' out the house and demanded to the horrified police officers to bring someone in with a quirk better suited for the job and who wasn't a 'COFFEE DEPRIVED PEICE OF GARBAGE YOU MORONS'.

And now Miss Angela was sitting at the table, surrounded by a silent and dangerous family and a few extra police officers.

Angela watched the main video and all of the smaller, individual videos that she had been given permission to watch. Most were simple 'thank you's and goodbyes to most in class 1A, Mei, and Masaru and Mitsuki. The last one was for Katsuki, who hadn't stated his permission.

Angela calmly pulled off the headphones and looked to the volatile teen.

"May I?"

It took a second for Katsuki to answer.

"No."

Mitsuki looked warningly at her son, who took no notice as he stared at the table, as Angela nodded.

"Very well." She steepled her fingers. "If I may, would you summarize for me what he told you?"

Katsuki was silent for a moment longer, shaking slightly.

"He," Katsuki fought to keep his voice steady. "He said he believed in me, that he needed to me to be better, and-" Katsuki's voice dwindled "that he forgave me for something I've done."

An uncomfortable silence grew.

"I see." Angela nodded once more and closed her eyes. It was clear that she was taking great care in evaluating the possibilities to avoid a repeat of the previous situation.

Finally, she opened them again.

"I will admit, it would be foolish to rule out suicide entirely, but I do not believe that is the case here." She started taking methodical, neat notes as she spoke. "He repeatedly said that he had something to do. Also, the suicidal often only leave a written note, if anything at all, behind. I have never heard of someone suicidal wrapping their life up so thuroughly, or leave it behind so prominently. On top of that, he destroyed any means of tracking him. He even went so far as to break his own phone." She poked a plastic bag that held the shattered remnants. "If he was suicidal, than it wouldn't matter to him if and when he was found. I do not believe that this is suicide, but as for what it is, I can only guess."

She sighed and rubbed her face. "You see, my quirk allows me to sense the truth behind someone's words and actions. It is less effective on videos, though helped when they maintain good eye contact, and it is entirely ineffective on anything written." She pointed to the laptop screen. "He fully believes and supports what he is saying. He is convinced that there is something else so important to him that he must leave everything else behind." She folded the piece of paper holding her notes and slid it over to Mitsuki. "It is entirely possible that he had been living a secret life and his mother, being his only parent and stable factor, was the only thing keeping him from leaving. Now that she has left, he has been pulled away." Angela shook her head sadly. "As for what this hypothetical secret life may be, I can't say."

"What support do you have for this 'secret life'?" Masaru asked, rubbing his hand along his wife's back comfortingly.

Angela turned to Katsuki.

"You said that Izuku had changed drastically since you saw him last, correct?" The silent teen nodded.

"He used to be, weak, afraid of everything. Above all he almost worshipped All Might. Every inch of his room was covered in hero merchandise and he took notes on heroes obsessively." Katsuki kept staring at the table, rudely not looking up. "Then one day, it's like he snapped. He up and graduated early, headed off to college and I didn't see him again for a whole year."

Katsuki grew silent and began shaking again.

"And then?" Angela pressed gently.

"When I did see him-" Katsuki spit the words out with venom "he had changed so much. Almost everything regarding All Might and other heroes was gone in his room. He-" Katsuki bit his tongue, refusing to speak on how Izuku wasn't afraid of _him_ and how he finally knew how to fight back and how he did so with frightening ease.

"And?"

Katsuki slammed a fist onto the table, effectively speaking without words that he wouldn't say anymore. Angela pushed her glasses further up he nose and smiled at the teen. He didn't look at her.

"Very well." She closed her bag and nodded politely to Mitsuki and Masaru. She slid them a piece of paper with her number written on it. "I believe that is all I can do for now. I will make sure to keep in touch and inform you of any updates."

Mitsuki smiled in return.

"Thank you Angela."

"Of course. I am at your disposal."

Angela stood to leave, but stopped before she reached the door. She turned back.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but you swore to my predecessor and to the police that when we find Izuku, you would take him in yourself?"

Mitsuki stood gravely.

"Yes. When he find him, and we will, I swear, regardless of what he's done, who he's interacted with, or where he's gone, I will do everything in my power and more for him to be as my own child."

The two women regarded each other for a long moment. Angela finally smiled.

"I think he will be safe in your hands."

\- that night -

"Katsuki." Mitsuki looked at her unresponsive son. "You go back to school tommorow. Try to get some sleep."

He kept staring at the ceiling, lying flat on his bed until his mother left. He grit his teeth.

The idiot was gone.

He had the nerve to leave again.

After everything, he was now trying to leave for good.

And it made Katsuki angry.

\- across Japan -

The two made a strange sight for the few who saw them. They sat alone on a rooftop, eating hamburgers as if they hadn't eaten in days. The smaller figure finished his in roughly three bites. He actually hadn't eaten enough the past few days, and was seriously tempted to get another hamburger. The Americans knew what they were doing when they made those.

Stain handed Izuku a small amount of money, as if reading the child's mind.

"Go on."

Izuku soon returned with his prize. He carried a bag containing two more hamburgers and a small pie and held a fresh bottle of water in his other hand.

They sat there and watched the news screens across the streets speak of nothing else but him.

Izuku finished his second hamburger and looked to his master, the unfamiliar streets of Hosu city thronging below them.

"Who's next?"

Stain's cold eyes never left the news screen.

"Ingenium."

A/N:

So yay, another one! AND IT IS HEATING UP! Next chapter is going to jump right into the tournament arc, the actual tournament part of it specifically.

Anyways, that's all I had so, so long my lovies!


	12. Promises

Katsuki opened the waiting room door with out a word. Ochako looked up with a startled expression.

"O-oh. Bakugo." She stood and awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "What a surprise!"

Bakugo held her ruined jacket out to her.

"You forgot this."

"Oh." She fumbled with neatly folded jacket. "Thank you."

"You fought well." She looked up at him, shocked. "Saying what you did, you were trying to get a rise out of me so I'd mess up, weren't you?"

~"YOU'RE BLIND IF YOU CAN'T SEE THAT WE WANT TO HELP YOU!"~

She blushed, her own words echoing in her ears

"I, meant what I said Bakugo." She looked to the side, at the barren table.

Bakugo's anger had always frightened her, but recently she had been seeing the determination behind his actions. She found that, in and odd way, she could respect his drive to be the best, regardless of how uncomfortable it made her feel.

"You've been even more volatile than you usually are. We want to be there for you, but you've been pushing everyone away, even Kirishima. We all can see that you're hurting, but we can't do anything if you won't let us!"

She looked up and saw that she had gone too far. Bakugo was scarily still, but his eyes portrayed pure anger.

"Contrary to everything you just said," his voice was worryingly steady despite how he was looking at her. "I don't need people to be 'there for me'." He spat the phrase out. "Don't be delusional, Round Face."

He turned and headed toward the door, but before he could leave, she spoke up again.

"I look up to you Bakugo." He froze. "You have such a strong purpose and determination, it makes my own purpose seem little." He slowly turned to look at her. She met his gaze. "I'll admit, I AM in it for the money, but it's for my parents, and I do truly care about those in pain and hardships." She took a deep breath and hardened her gaze with new determination. "You may choose to lie to yourself of whether or not you need your friends to be there for you, but I will do what I can to help you out of your hardship Bakugo. Count on it."

The two stared at each other.

He turned and left without another word.

\- Hosu city -

Izuku looked to Stain, the near lifeless body of Ingenium at their feet. "Will we kill him?"

Stain remained silent for a long moment. He turned away. "He'll live. Assuming the Emergency Services get here in time." Stain jumped and easily scaled the wall, climbing to the rooftops.

Izuku knelt next to Ingenium.

"I'm not sure if you should count yourself lucky or unlucky." He observed the older man's suit. "Where do you keep you phone?"

"Left ... leg."

Izuku nimbly pulled it out. "Do you have a family?"

Ingenium's voice quivered, as if he was on the verge of tears.

"Parents ... little brother."

"Hmm." Izuku nodded as he sent up and emergency signal. "Lucky then. You still get to be with them." He placed the phone next to Ingenium, standing to leave. "Goodbye."

"Wait!" Izuku stopped at his words. Ingenium could barely speak, but the older man fought tonget the words out. "Brother ... he - will be de-devestated. May seek - revenge." His voice displayed that he was fully in tears now.

Izuku squatted down next to the inert figure.

"Let me guess, he's in the hero program." Izuku's voice was bitter. "What do you expect me to do about that?"

"P-please. Don't ... kill him. He, he has room to improve. Just ... give him ... the time to."

Izuku stilled. Ingenium sounded incredibly serious, and the boy felt a strange tingle slide down his spine.

"What's your brother's name?"

Ingenium gasped for breath.

"Tenya ... Iida."

Though Ingenium could not see it, and his body didn't portray it, Izuku's eyes widened with shock. He realized he had just nearly killed the older brother of his friend. He fought to keep the emotions out of his voice.

"I'll see what I can do."

He placed his hand on Ingenium's back in an almost comforting manor, then lept after his master.

\- UA -

Bakugo was more fierce and vicious with his classmates than he had ever been. The whole cursed situation and his confrontation with Uraraka had put him in a dangerous mood. He barely even felt remorse over the damage he did to Kirishima, regardless of how little it was. Kirishima stopped bakugo in the hallway, telling him it was a good fight, and Bakugo tried his best to ignore the betrayed look his friend gave him and he walked coldly past. He could hear Kirishima being comforted by the small noises his dragon made, but kept walking.

And now, before his fight with Todoroki, he found himself being confronted with the subject of Deku once again.

Todoroki told him that his overly aggressive behaviour would only hurt his hero career.

Bakugo yelled and raged, but he couldn't deny the truth.

Todoroki told him that how he was acting wouldn't help get Midoriya back. He told of the video that Izuku left for him. In it's little time, Izuku told Todoroki to not give into his anger, and to tell his friends of whatever was the reason. He was currently trying his best, and he felt that Bakugo should as well.

This, being basically the same of what Uraraka had said, wasn't a smart thing to say to Bakugo.

He slammed his hand down on the table.

"I don't think you understand. I need to win this and prove that I'm the best. I WILL find him and I need to prove that I am capable to do so!"

Todoroki blinked at him, face impassive.

Bakugo turned, and stormed out, yelling at a frightened Iida as the class rep bumped into him.

\- Hosu -

"So, you want me to promise, that if we come across any UA brats, to spare them, until they graduate, giving them time to change if need be?" Stain chose his wording carefully, making sure not to miss anything his student had asked of him.

Izuku swallowed, nervous of the answer. He wasn't sure if he could stand to go against Stain if it came to him or Iida. He'd just lost his mother, he couldn't lose Stain as well. But he couldn't lose Iida either.

Stain was silent for a long moment.

"How about a deal. I'll promise you this, if you promise me something in return?"

Izuku blinked and jerked his head back slightly. Stain sounded professional, as if they were two business men striking a deal instead of a master and student. This sounded so alien to their usual relaxing witty banter and discussions.

"What do you want?"

Stain crouched, looking down at the city.

"Let's face facts kid." Stain licked his lips, preparing himself. He was sure Izuku wouldn't respond well to what he was about to propose. He was backing Izuku into a corner to get him to agree, or suffer losing his alleged friend. He hated it, but the problem couldn't be ignored with the child's current situation. "We live a dangerous life. Everyone is against us."

Izuku turned his head fully to his master, crouching down beside him, and stared at him. This was common knowledge. He'd known that since he first started training. They weren't heroes, not even to themselves, and they weren't villains. They weren't even vigilantes in a normal sense, and the majority of vigilantes hated Stain and Izuku as they abstained from killing in any form.

"If something, permanent, is to happen to me, I want you," Stain took a deep breath, and Izuku swallowed in apprehension "to go back home."

Izuku's mouth and throat went horribly dry.

"What?" His voice was barely more than a whisper. "Master, what are you talking about?" He placed the tips of his fingers Stain's arm.

Stain looked at him and Izuku saw that he regretted what he was having to say, but Izuku could tell that he wouldn't go back on what he was saying either.

"It's a very real possibility, and you understand that."

Izuku shook his head, denying reality. He stood up and started pacing, kicking at pebbles.

"Nononono." He muttered. "No. It won't come to that." He turned and looked to Stain, shoulders slumping as his hands hung in mid-air. "Say it won't come to that Master."

'Take it back.' Stain stayed silent for a moment. 'You're putting too much pressure on him, he just lost his mother.' He could barely see Izuku's eyes behind the goggles, but he could feel the emotion radiating off of his student. 'Accept defeat for once and let him keep his friends alive.'

"What do you say?"

Izuku whimpered quietly.

"Please-"

Stain raised an eyebrow, and Izuku sucked in a large breath. He shuddered once, then looked back up at Stain.

"I accept."

\- later -

They didn't talk much the rest of the night. Izuku curled up on the spare mattress, under thick blankets and fresh sheets. He kept his face turned away from Akaguro whenever he could and barely touched his dinner.

Chizome finally tired of it.

"Please don't be like this." Izuku stiffened under his covers. "You know I'm trying to make sure you'll be safe if something is to happen to me."

"I do understand, but I won't let anything happen to you Master." Izuku turned his bloodshot eyes on Akaguro. "I can't."

Izuku had nightmares that night, and no amount of comfort from Chizome could get the image of his master, the only person Izuku had left, broken and bloody, lying at Izuku's feet from the boy's mind.

A/N:

WE'RE ALMOST THERE PEOPLE! About two more chapters, and we'll be at the legendary alleyway throwdown, only (as you might imagine) it goes a tad differently. Is it bad that I take so much enjoyment from being terrible to our little cinnamon roll?

Probably.

Anywho! Thank you lovlies for the wonderful and encouraging reviews you have been leaving! You guys are the best, and feel free to keep reviewing. I live to hear what you guys have to say or ask. Also, I dropped a hint to something Imma reveal later on. See if you caught it ;)

So long and have a great new week my lovies!


	13. Figuring Things Out

Izuku sat, on the floor, hunched by the screen of the small television. He couldn't register what he was seeing. His brain refused to acknowledge what he was seeing as real.

Akaguro looked over and noticed his pupil's strange behaviour.

"What's wrong?"

Izuku pointed to the screen. It was playing a recording of the UA sports festival, showing specifically Bakugo facing off against Todoroki, the former yelling at the latter to give everything he had. Small explosions rippled up his arms and across his back. Izuku paused the video, the explosions covering most of Bakugo's torso, his shirt torn to shreds.

"He can't do that."

Akaguro raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you say he can't?"

Izuku saw numerous equations flicker in front of his eyes, his mind going a mile a minute as his mouth ran on autopilot.

"Kacchan has pushed himself many times to find the extent of his quirk. It's only ever been contained to his palms. He's never been able to push an explosion further up than his wrist."

Chizome was intrigued. "Perhaps he never told you?"

Izuku laughed in disdain. "Heh, you kidding? He's got an ego the size of the planet. If he somehow found out how to do this in middle school, he would have 'demonstrated' for everyone to see."

"Can quirks evolve?" Stain figured if anyone could answer that, it'd be his student and it was better to move on from Bakugo's 'demonstrations'.

Izuku whipped his notebook seemingly out of thin air, scribbling in it furiously and flipping through it so quickly it was a wonder he didn't tear the pages again.

"I've never heard of a quirk mutating. People discover new limits to their power, understand new aspects of it, but I've never heard of it changing in such a drastic fashion before. The ability has always been there, just unnoticed. The only way that I know they can mutate is when the child gets a combination of the parents quirks, or gets a seemingly completely different quirk from the previously established quirk line. Hmm, but then, again, Usually the potential for the quirk was still there, just, recessive if you will." He started doing math on his fingers, barely even paying attention to what he was saying. "I mean, I guess it's not completely impossible, but Kacchan has tested himself so much that it is quite improbable. There has to be..."

A picture of All Might stuck to the fridge caught his eye, his voice trailing off. He stared at it, remembering what the All Star had told him so long ago, how his quirk was slowly leaving him. He was weak and at the time, could only do hero work for about 3 hours. Izuku narrowed his eyes.

There was a connection here he was missing.

He stood abruptly.

"I need to go to the library."

"Kid, your face is on every news broadcast and newspaper. You can't." Ever the voice of reason, Chizome refused.

Izuku waved his hand, pulling a sky blue beanie over his brught green hair and grabbing a pair of sunglasses. "Who said I had to look like myself?" He grabbed a jacket and ducked into the bathroom. He came out wearing a grey t-shirt, blue pants, grey shoes, the jacket, and had covered his noticable freckles with an effective layer of makeup. If Izuku had pulled the glasses off, Chizome would have noticed at he had put fake contacts in, turning his eyes a sharp red.

Akaguro had to admit, he didn't look like himself.

"Be careful kid." Chizome reluctantly agreed. "The police are everywhere."

Izuku nodded, heading out the door. With a final wave, he was gone.

\- That Night -

Izuku shut the apartment door behind him with a snap. He walked to the living room in confidence, plopping his notes and newly acquired laptop on the table.

"Finally."

Chizome growled behind Izuku, clearly annoyed with the extra time the teen had spent at the library.

"I decided to do some of my other studying while I was there." Izuku explained, not in the least intimidated. He swept his college grade textbooks to the side and laid his notes from the library he had taken in a more organized manner. "College isn't exactly a walk in the park you know."

"It'd be easier if you simply stopped." Izuku didn't notice, or didn't care to, the annoyed undertone in his master's voice.

Izuku placed a hand on his chest, as if shocked by the suggestion, as he opened the sleek computer. "And let my big brain go to waste?" He started hacking into Google and other online services immediately. "No thank you."

"What's with the computer?" Akaguro sounded serious as Izuku shrugged.

"The library computers are crap for hacking purposes."

"So you stole a laptop." Chizome was far from impressed.

"If it makes you feel any better," Izuku said with a laugh "a pro corporation was very generous and helped pay." He smirked behind his hand as he brought up long forgotten files on All Might in his younger days. All too easy.

Akaguro looked over Izuku's shoulder. "And what does All Might have to do with Bakugo's quirk change?"

"Remember what I told you about my meeting with All Star?" Izuku rarely addressed All Might as All Might anymore, far too angry at what the pro had done to him. The nickname came from Izuku's realization of the pro's condition, and insisted that he was only using what was left of his quirk to hold onto his fame and title like a leach.

Chizome nodded as he recalled what his student had told him. He knew of his student's lingering resentment for the pro, but was confident that, if push came to shove, Izuku wouldn't kill All Might. He still had some respect for him.

"You said his quirk left him weak and frail after a few hours of hero work."

"Exactly!" Izuku scrolled deeper into the hidden parts of the Internet, determined to find what he was looking for.

"And you think his quirk transformation is similar to Bakugo's?" Chizome was intrigued to say the least.

Izuku stopped scrolling when he reached a recorded file of 'Toshinori Yagi', 5 years old.

"Actually, I think they're related."

'Pronounced Quirkless'.

A/N:

Another shortie, but ah well. Anywho, Izuku is figuring things out, smartypants that he is. This is actually the last we'll hear of this subject from Izuku for a while, but worry not! We will hear the end of it!

On the subject of Bakugo however, the next chapter I am planning be almost entirely centered around him. This is where the train of a force of character change that I promised is coming for my boy. It may take a while for me to post the next chapter, but who knows. Just fyi.

Also, dear guest reader of mine! I am glad you asked! As of right now, Izuku does not know that Uraraka is in the hero biz for the money. He will find out, but not just yet.

That's all I have to say.

So long my Lovies!


	14. Conflict

Katsuki stared his opponent down. This was the second time they had fought after the festival, and he was still just as determined to win, even if it was just training. This would most likely be that last fight they'd have before heading for their internships, and Katsuki felt that his opponent had some sort of plan of what she would do.

They rushed each other at the same time, an unspoken timer reaching its end.

Katsuki dodged her first punch and moved to retaliate, but she had already ducked out of the way. She landed a blow to his stomach, causing him to grunt. He in turn set off an explosion at her shoulder which sent her rocketing away from him.

She threw a training weight at him, catching him off guard. It clipped his shoulder and he took an involuntary step backwards. She rushed again and knocked his feet out from under him. She tried to pin him down, but Katsuki was still much too strong for her. He threw her off and she went tumbling away again. Katsuki held back until she regained her footing.

Uraraka stood shakily, wiping her chin and looking at him with determination.

"Surely, you can't hold out forever."

He lowered into a more fight ready pose.

"We'll see Round Face."

\- Hosu -

Izuku felt something was up as soon as Akaguro set one foot over the threshold. Izuku turned around in his chair and looked expectantly to his master, shutting his computer with a tap as trepidation washed over him. He had been re-watching Kacchan's fights in the tournament, taking time to analyze the explosive teen's actions.

He had hoped that his video would have helped to cull his anger, show him that it was far from heroic, but it seemed it had only angered him more. Izuku had been in the middle of contemplating that perhaps time would be the best agent in taking his friend when Chizome had entered.

"What's happened?" Chizome didn't answer immediately. "Master?"

"I was contacted by the Leauge of Villains."

Izuku's eyes widened. "They're the ones who attacked the USJ."

"Indeed." Stain walked briskly to the bedroom, calling out behind him. "Suit up kid."

\- UA -

They had been going at this for surely too long now. Neither had been taking track of time nor had escaped their fair share of bruises. They were both barely standing, bent over and panting like parched dogs.

Bakugo glared at her.

"Why." He sucked in breath after breath. "Why are you so intent on fighting me?"

Uraraka started tapping herself as he talked, reducing her gravity.

"I told you why." She returned his glare with weary confidence. "You are hurting yourself and everyone else around you." She took a brave step forward. "I don't know what Izuku said in your video, but I don't believe this is what he wanted!"

Bakugo looked anguished. He bared his teeth in a cruel way, gesturing to his chest.

"I DON'T KNOW what he wanted!" Bakugo yelled, causing the girl to flinch. "He wanted me to be better but I DON'T KNOW HOW!" His voice broke. He didn't know why he was telling her this, but even admitting the flaw relieved the crushing pressure he was feeling, if only marginally. Katsuki stepped forward as well. "I don't know what to do, and it's tearing me apart! I feel like I'm about to break!"

Uraraka rushed him, shouting a final time.

"Then break!"

Reflexively, Bakugo swung his hand out as Uraraka came closer. She moved to dodge, but he caught onto her tactic. Instead of landing a blow, she was enveloped in an explosion. The girl was thrown away and into a wall, where she then crumpled, her back facing her opponent.

He stared in shock.

He hadn't meant to be so strong with her. He hadn't even realized that he had that much strength left. He was so incredibly used to pushing himself to his absolute limit, that the new reaches of his power still caught him off guard. He grit his teeth. He had been practicing for several months now, and still he struggled with his new strength.

He stepped forward. "Uraraka?"

She twitched, but didn't stand.

'You're hurting yourself and everyone else around you!' Her words echoed in his ears and he took two more steps.

"Uraraka!"

She pushed herself up to her elbows, causing him to stop short. Slowly, painfully, she climbed to her knees and palms. Then she pulled one foot underneath herself with great labor. She dragged the other under as well, finally finding the power to speak.

"Broken things need to be, taken down, so they can be rebuilt even stronger." She stood, far from effortlessly, and turned to give him another steely gaze in spite of her fatigue. "You won't let anyone near you," She took a shaky step forward.

He breathed deeply. "This battle is over Uraraka. Sit down. You'll fall on your face." There was a deftly hidden note of worry in his brash statement.

Uraraka took another step.

"Ill fight to break you, Bakugo. I can say that proudly."

The blood pounded in Katsuki's ears, egging him on to keep fighting. "Uraraka." He warned, his voice cracking as his tired and strained soul revealed itself.

She lunged. It was so unexpected of the beaten girl that he didn't have time to react.

She didn't punch, kick, or even tackle Bakugo. Instead she wrapped her arms around his torso as the last vestiges of her strength abandoned her. She tightly clung to him to prevent herself from falling on the floor as he said she would.

He blinked in surprise as she whispered the last of her speech.

"If Izuku said you needed to be better, then maybe you should start by believing you can."

He somehow managed a scoff, arms falling from their frozen position in mid-air at her sides. "And then?"

"Think it through as to where he meant for you to be better." Uraraka couldn't see it, but his face twisted as her words sliced through his barriers. "I don't think he was referring to your physical strength when he said you needed to be better."

Bakugo trembled. He knew what was coming but he still fought it off with his last strength. "Stop" he weakly ordered.

"Whatever you're holding onto in your past, you need to let go of it."

His trembling grew worse, to the point where it almost dislodged Uraraka from where she clung to him like a leech.

"You don't understand." Bakugo squeezed his eyes shut as his legs nearly gave-way underneath him. "I was h-h-horrible to him."

The two fell to the floor as he broke, and told her everything. Bakugo wept openly, guilt, shame, and anger tearing him apart as Uraraka did her best to calm him.

He told of all the torments he had bestowed upon the boy who was currently standing before villains without a single fear.

A/N:

HOLY BOI FOLKS! I'm back!

Uuuggggghhhhhhhh. You have no idea the pain I went through to write this. IT. WOULD. NOT. COME.

However, I still persevered, and here it is. Not too shabby as well if I do say so meself.

Also, yeah, I think you smart people can see where I am goungnwith Bakugo's and Uraraka's relationship here. Don't worry, I will make sure it is actually and properly supported innthe story, and not just there because I ship them. If any of you think I am not supporting them well enough, TELL ME. Believe you me, I will take that review to heart, so long as it's not just you flaming cuz you hate kacchako. *raspberry*

Once again, you lovely reviewers made my days as I fought this cursed writers block, and honestly, if you peeps weren't here, there is a good chance I would have given up on this, despite how it's my most popular fic. YOU GUYS ARE A M A Z I N G. I feel I can't stress that enough.

Anyways, so long my Lovies!


	15. The Bar

The Apprentice barely moved as his master flew about the room. He stood, still as a statue, as the older man deftly paralyzed the bartender and pinned handy face to the floor. The boy waited, a small little item curled in his hand waiting to be released.

He felt himself relax ever so slightly as his master preached, the words well ingrained into the teen's brain, permeating and moulding his ideals.

He all too quickly snapped back to reality as the stranger spoke back to Stain, denying him. The stranger destroyed one of Stain's knives, which caused the younger teen to take an involuntary step forward, relaxing his palm and letting the small mechanic run away and do its job.

The stranger, Shigaraki, started complaining, pettishly blaming Stain for his new injuries.

"It would seem our goals oppose each other." Stain calmly spoke, and his student agreed whole heartedly. "However, we agree on one thing - to destroy the present."

"Stop messing around." Shigaraki spat. "Go home. Die. I'm the kind of person you hate most right?"

"I was testing your true motives. People show their true colors when they are on the verge of death." Stain slid his other knife in its sheath with a clean shnick. "Its different, but there is a 'desire', a warped sprout of conviction living inside you. How it will grow I wonder."

The Apprentice had noticed this as well, tilting his head to the side slightly, evaluating possibilities for the Man Child's growth into something truly worthy of fear. He almost missed Shigaraki lifting a bony arm to point at him.

"And what about you?"

The Apprentice started. "I'm sorry?" His voice rasped through his mask, distorting the words.

"All Might. How do you feel about that piece of trash?"

The Apprentice took a moment to reply. He looked to the torn and tattered picture of All Star himself.

"You and I both, Shigaraki, hold our fair share of offenses against him. He is the pivotal point that caused us two to have grown to where we are now."

The stranger straightened. "So you agree with me?"

"Partially." Stain's pupil adjusted his stance to a more diplomatic fashion. "If I was given the chance, I would tear him down. Watch as he realized the monster that he helped to create. But, I would never kill him, and that is where you and I differ." The Apprentice stood taller in pride as the bartender was released from the paralyzing grip. "Not every hero is deserving of death, and I do not wish to topple this society to ruin. Instead, we will clean this world, to bring it to a new and fair age."

Tomura spat again. "I've had enough. Kurogiri, send these two righteous maniacs away. I don't want them as party members."

"Think wisely here Tomura. They could be invaluable assets." The bartender leaned over the counter to better look at his charge.

Stain interceded before the man child could respond. "Our business is done here. Return us to Hosu. There is unfinished business there we must attend to."

\- Later -

Izuku crashed on the couch, pulling off his headgear with a heavy glove covered hand. Groaning, he rolled over and snatched a textbook off of the floor and turned to his work page, determined to work some more.

The book was promptly removed from his hands.

"No." Chizome refused point blank before Izuku could even voice an objection. "It's late, you haven't eaten, and you have been pushing yourself far too much." He snapped the book closed. "I will have you eat and sleep at least 5 hours if it's the last thing I do."

Izuku sighed, and flopped back against the couch, but didn't argue. Akaguro was right, of course.

He summoned some great will and pulled himself off of the couch, stumbling over to the refrigerator.

"Honestly, I think you'd waste away if you lacked any form of responsible adult in your life."

Izuku managed out a huff as he retrieved a sandwich. "My life isn't exactly stable is it?"

"No excuse. Move over." Chizome moved him out of the way of the fridge and peered in for himself. Izuku mumbled some probably snarky reply and plopped into one of the rickety old chairs around the table.

Akaguro stood up, dinner in hand, and looked back at his exhausted pupil, who was half asleep while eating his dinner.

"You did good in there." Izuku turned his head, confused at the sudden praise. Chizome elaborated. "When that idiot asked you what you wanted to do to All Might and this rotten society, you did well in responding how you did."

"I said I'd tear All Might down. You would have him stay where is, wouldn't you?" Izuku sat up straighter in his chair, more awake.

Akaguro thought on the question. "If I could avoid it, yes, I would not fight him. But if there was no alternate option, only one of us could emerge victorious with the other defeated, I would fight him as well. I would only hold back on killing him, which you are correct in saying I would do."

Izuku was silent for a moment, contemplating this. Finally, he nodded, a small smile growing.

"Thank you master."

Chizome grunted. "Yeah. Did you drop the package?"

Izuku brightened, nodding vigorously and pulling open his laptop. He booted up a live video feed and turned the screen so that Akaguro could see.

Somewhere, in an old rundown bar, a tiny mechanical spider clung to its nearly invisible artificial web. It kept the live feed running at all times, scanning with infrared and smart facial recognition, and sent everything to a safe hard drive on Izuku's laptop. It showed Shigaraki and Kurogiri, sitting in the bar, seemingly talking with an old tv screen.

'Master, give me Nomu. I'll flush him out of the spotlight!'

'Very well' this second voice was barely audible. 'I will give you three. Use them wisely.'

Nothing of interest happened from there, Shigaraki clearly uninterested in discussing a plan of attack, and Izuku closed that laptop once more.

"Git."

"There you go using those English words again." Chizome rolled his eyes.

"English words are fun." Izuku yawned, stood, and stretched. He swiped his English text book and dictionary off of the table from where Akaguro had dropped them. "I'm going to study and work for a little, then sleep."

Akaguro nodded. "Very well. I'm off to go hunt." He pointed very sternly to his pupil as the teen reached the bedroom door. "Don't stay up all night studying again."

"I won't, I won't."

Izuku closed the door and Chizome shook his head.

'Sarcastic brat.'

A/N:

WHOO! Another one so soon!

Happy little fact, the next chapter is hero name picking time! That chapter will also serve as a transition chapter into the Internship arc and will probably be the last that we hear of Bakugo, and most of everyone else in 1A for a little while.

Also, I realize that this isn't fitting in too perfectly with the canon timeline as, from what I can remember, right after the bar Stain goes a hero hunting and then the throwdown takes place but oh well. I can tweak the timeline a little.

So long lovies!


	16. A Name's Worth

Bakugo stared at the plain white board on front of him.

Hero names.

He, and all the idiots in his class, were picking what they would be called in the future, assuming they all made it that far.

As each of his classmates went up one after another, and were approved almost immediately, he continued to stare at his board.

He looked up as Uraraka and Kirishima stepped up for theirs. He approved of what they chose, the names suiting both perfectly.

As Uraraka stepped down, she caught his eye. She smiled confidentially and nodded.

Katsuki had changed after their fight. He was still volatile and proud, one night can't work all miracles, but improvement had been made none the less. He was calmer now, and had already proved that he was able to not blow up at the slightest chance of an offence.

Uraraka had made Bakugo at least make up to Kirishima for how he had treated him. She hadn't dared to try and make him apologize to anyone else. She could imagine how, awkward and explosively that'd go down.

Uraraka sat down, and gave Bakugo one last look as Half'n'Half stepped up, using only his name. Only Bakugo and Iida remained now, Midnight looking to them expectantly. The Class Representative went up first, using his name only as well.

Midnight smiled at Bakugo, and the whole class turned to him.

"Come on dear, don't be shy."

"Yeah man, you've been unusually quiet."

"Can't think of something as magnificent as my twinkle?"

"Shut it!" He snapped and looked back down at his board, one word scribbled across it. He didn't remember writing it, but he knew it was the right choice. He stood and approached the podium.

'Deku'

Kirishima looked at him funny, as did most of the class.

"Really dude? That seems kinda unlike yourself."

Uraraka flashed Bakugo a secret smile, encouraging him.

"It's what I used to call, him. And now it will be my own name."

Midnight smiled. "Rather a bit of an unexpected result from you, especially considering your crushing victories in the tournament, but I approve. It sounds like 'I can do amything'!"

"It means worthless." His blunt statement put an immeduate halt on the nods of approval. "That's what I called him for as long as I can remember, and until I find him, that's what I will be from here on out."

The class was still as stone, the weight of what he was implying settling in their minds.

Finally, Kaminari was the first to speak.

"Wow, that's, like, really noble dude."

Kirishima piped in next. "Yeah! Manly AND gentlemanly as heck!"

Iida nodded. "Honoring a missing and disgraced friend. Noble indeed."

Uraraka grinned widely at him, and clapped loudest of all. She was glad he had chosen that name, and he could feel the support radiating from her.

"Are you sure you want to be called 'worthless'? You said yourself you used it on someone else in what seemed to be implied as a far from friendly manor." Midnight looked at him curiously. "You really want that?"

"It's a reminder. Now do I have to explain myself a third time, or will you just accept it already?" He snapped.

"Very well."

\- Later -

All Might, sitting like a skeleton on his couch, turned his head at three sharp knocks at his door.

"Come in." Bakugo slid the door back, and stepped inside. "Ahh, young Bakugo. Come sit, I have tea made."

"Thank you."

"I hear you chose you hero names. I was surprised you chose Deku."

Katsuki's grip on the cup tightened. "Are you going to question my decision too?"

"No." Toshinori spoke softly. "I was pleasently surprised. Am I correct to assume that young miss Ochako had something to contribute to your decision?"

Bakugo cast a wary look to his mentor. "What gives you that idea?"

"You've changed after your fight with her last night." Bakugo choked on his tea. "Yes I know about that. We installed cameras in there long ago. You two aren't the first to fight their way through stressful times." Toshinori looked amusedly at his shocked and embarrassed pupil, before slowly growing serious again. "She seemed to be moving a bit stiffly today. How hard did you too fight?"

Bakugo looked away, ashamed.

"I - she lunged at me near the end of our fight. I meant only to land a hit, maybe a small explosion to knock her back but," His voice cut off.

Toshinori guessed the rest. "You misjudged the power of One For All?"

Bakugo tightened his grip on his cup.

"I've been trying to understand the limits of your, my, quirk for months now. Every time I think I understand it more, it throws another surprise." He clenched his teeth painfully. "I can't understand it!"

Toshinori nodded gravely. "I figured you might have trouble with One For All. Every previous user has never had your strength before. They all have been either in the same family line, having relatively weak quirks, or have been quirkless. You were already immensely powerful when I have you One For All. There was no telling what reaction would come of it."

Katsuki sighed, waving his hand. "Let's just, move on."

"Very well. What internship are you planning on taking? You did get the most offers."

Katsuki took a sip of tea before answering. "I was thinking this one search and rescue corporation."

Toshinori nodded. Learning how to look for someone who was missing. So he really was set on finding his friend.

"Not one of the more popular heroes? I heard Endevor himself sent you an offer. It might be rude to refuse him."

Katsuki shook his head. "No. I don't want to be stuck with Half'n'Half for a whole week." He stood, abruptly bringing the conversation to a close. "If that's all, I'll be heading home before Mom gets too upset."

"Of course. Goodbye young Bakugo."

Toshinori watched as his successor left him there. He was glad the boy was changing for the better, but he was dismayed that it hadn't been his hand to bring about the change.

He sighed and picked up his phone, shooting the principal a text. He needed to talk somethings through with him.

A/N:

Wowie! Yet another! I am on a roll.

Anywho, FINALLY.

YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?

INTERNSHIP ARRRRRCCCCCC!!!!!

YAY YAY YAY YAY!

Back on subject, I wanted to compare and contrast Bakugo's and All Might's student teacher relationship with Izuku's and Stain's. Despite that they have been working together for some time now, Baku and Toshi are no where close to the comfortable level Izuku and Stain are at. All Might simply came and started training Baku, who held a deep respect and admiration for the #1 hero, while Izuku and Stain started at literal ground level 0, and Stain took great time and effort in shaping Izuku. Not to say that All Might has done very little in teaching Bakugo, but it is not as much as Stain's influence on Izuku.

Also, this will probably be that last bit on our new Deku for a while. It's going to be centered on Izuku almost entirely from here on out after the Internship arc finishes.

In fact, we are very close to finishing the first part of this story! After this famed internship arc and the mall meeting (Yes, I'm doing it) we will have finished part one! Hoorah! I am planning on starting a part two, separate from this. It will probably be called 'Cruel fate' or something of the like.

But I am getting ahead of myself. That's not for awhile yet.

So long my lovies!


	17. The Beginning Battle

\- Hosu -

"Being taken in by the hatred in front of you, and trying to fulfill your own desires, that is the farthest from what a hero should be." Stain pulled his katana free of mock Ingenium's shoulder, licking the blood. "That's why you should die."

Iida wasn't sure if he was paralyzed from fear or the villains quirk, or both, but even his heart seemed to freeze. His train of thought skidded to a halt. Iida realized that his life would be ended in a moment, and he was physically incapable of stopping it.

"But not yet."

Iida's eyes grew wide with shock. He strained to lift his eyes to see Stain.

"W-what?"

"You're one of those UA brats and, unfortunately for society, I made a promise not to kill any of you." Stain crouched down, closer to Iida. "You are so unworthy." He emphasized and dragged the last word out strangely.

Before Stain could continue, Izuku rounded the corner in full gear. "Master?" He asked in shock.

Stain stood, walking over to Native. "Finally. I'd thought you'd never show up." He pointed to Iida as he dug a knife into Native's throat. "Call emergency for the UA brat."

Izuku nodded and dutifully dropped to his knees by Iida's side.

"You're - You're monsters!" Iida spat out the words.

Izuku's shoulder hunched inwards the smallest degree. "We know Iida."

He reached his hand toward his friend, intending to take the boy's phone, only to suddenly duck and jump to his feet as a sewer manhole whizzed over where his head had been a moment before.

\- Earlier, elsewhere in Hosu -

"I know that Hosu isn't exactly my territory, but I have a gut feeling that our help will be needed today." The hero turned and looked to his protege intern. "Always trust your gut Uraraka."

Uraraka nodded up at Gunhead, face determined.

"This is where the hero killer has been attacking recently, correct?"

"That's right." Gunhead nodded as they turned a corner on their patrol. The two had been granted by the branch that Ingenium had worked for to patrol around the city, free to roam and work as they pleased. "But that's only half of the reason. With my many years, I, like most others, have developed a sixth sense for when something bad is going to happen. Like I said," he waved his finger to emphasise his point "trust your gut."

As it turned out, their presence was indeed greatly needed. There were many people trapped in burning and collapsed buildings as Nomu wreaked havoc upon the city.

Gunhead took initiative and kept around the areas where Uraraka's skill and learning desire could be most utilized in rescuing civilians. He guided her in how to act and react in this real life rescue operation.

They were running from one disaster area to another where they had been called. Uraraka had stopped for a moment, using her quirk on a sewer manhole and carrying it along as she caught up to her mentor.

"Smart. You never know what situation might pop up. You need some form of weapon to allow you to close distance to your opponents." Gunhead praised her and they continued running.

Passing by, she though she saw commotion in an alley way on the other side of the street. Uraraka skidded to a halt, and ran to check, Gunhead following behind.

Her eyes widened as she saw what was before her. The Hero Killer, sinking his knife into a man's throat, and another figure, kneeling by and reaching towards the body of her fallen friend Iida.

She reacted instinctively, throwing the manhole cover with all her strength.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

The unknown figure ducked with surprising speed, as if knowing what she was going to do, and jumped to his feet. Stain whirled about to face the new threat. Native's lifeless body crumpled to the floor with a sickening sound as it's support withdrew.

"Not another one."

Uraraka moved to attack, but was pushed back by Gunhead. "Send for help." He rushed in instead, bringing his arm up and readying his quirk. "We need as many heroes here as we can."

Uraraka took two steps back, ducked around a corner, and the battle started.

A/N

Ok, so, several of you wonderful people have commented/reviewed and so here we go.

Guest reviewer:

I have gone back and updates the prev chapter so it now says that they use just their names, not differentiating between first and last.

Junior.urbina2001:

I figured Deku was more of a pressing and guilt reminding name. And also because I didn't think of Kacchan. I was originally planning on having izu take the name Deku as well. The useless Deku vs the Deku who can do anything. I've abandoned that, but I still wanted Baku to be Deku now.

ILeikfishes:

You are right. I may have gone a little overboard in posting the previous three chapters. I promise that I will try to space the uploads out more and combine scenes into one chapter where I can. I am a bit favourited towards a new chapter for every new scene, but, again, you are right in that it can clog up a story. I promise to work on that from here on out, but it you feel that something still needs to be done about those three, I will gladly go back and combine two of them into one larger chapter.

And heyyyyy! The fun stuff! The climety climactic climax at climaxing last. I have plans muhahahaha! Hope you dears are as pumped as I am!

Not entirely sure when the next chapter will be up. Things are getting a little busy and I hopefully might be getting a job soon so updates may take longer in coming out. But worry not, I have not forgotten.

Onwards and so long lovies!


	18. Strain

Izuku jumped to the walls as his master rushed the false hero. The two felt barely any need anymore for mid-battle strategizing for situations such as this. They worked like as a well oiled machine at this point.

Izuku scaled the wall, shards from the pro's quirk scattering harmlessly against his coat. He crossed the roof, looking down at Uraraka. He pulled out a small spray-able bottle and jumped down beside her.

She rolled to the left of him, her right, towards the street. Her phone clattered to the ground, and Izuku picked it up, observing the screen for a silent moment.

"Sending your location out to your classmates huh?" He snapped the phone in half. "What if none of them are in Hosu?"

Uraraka opened her mouth to reply, then closed it again. Better not reveal that Todoroki was interning at Hosu. She grit her teeth instead, rushing the villain. He dodged in one flawless motion and swung her into the wall, pining her to face him with one forearm. Whipping up his other hand, he squeezed the contents of the bottle into her face.

She immediately began to cough and feel light headed as the sleeper drug did it's work.

"No fair" Uraraka whined as her legs went limp.

He gently caught her, settling her down onto the pavement with surprising kindness.

"It's not fair, but neither is this world. Dirty tactics must be used I'm afraid." He adjusted her to where she would be comfortable and placed his own small scarf that he kept to help cover his neck around Uraraka's shoulders. "I'll repay for your phone." He slid her helmet off and removed the comm link.

Izuku stood swiftly and rushed back over to the neighboring alley, only to see Gunhead somehow still standing. The pro had backed up to where he was almost out of the confined space, but it was clear to Izuku that Stain was merely toying with the pro for now. Izuku pulled out a knife, stabbing Gunhead in the arm from behind and tossed the weapon to Stain. Izuku ducked behind his master, watching in morbid fascination as the pro froze in mid-air and toppled against the wall.

"The girl?" Stain asked, readying his blade for the kill.

"Sent her location to her classmates. I am unsure if any are here in Hosu, but if so, and if they are smart, they will bring pros on top of us."

Stain nodded as Izuku moved to stand in front of Iida again. Stain raised his knife for the kill. He nearly dropped it as he heard Izuku shout in surprise, a torrent of flame engulfing his student.

The flame subsided, showing Izuku still standing and lowering his arms from a natural defensive position. Smoke curled around him, but his handy work held true, with near to no damage done to his coat and bodysuit underneath.

"Oh come on!" Izuku set his jaw in a grimace behind his mask, and shifted into a more fight ready stance as Shoto Todoroki lowered his left hand slowly. A small, elderly man stood next to him, ready to dash into the fray.

"Where is Uraraka?" Shoto coolly asked, pushing his friend and the two heroes, one paralyzed and one dead, upwards along the wall with his ice. "Strange how the one sending the signal is nowhere to be seen. Though I suppose it was still lucky that I was this close to the fight. I might have been too late to stop you two villains."

"I'm afraid Uraraka won't be joining us." Izuku calmly snarked and dashed forward, slipping a dagger out of its sheath. "Aw, no need to look so worried. I didn't harm a hair on her head." Todoroki was repulsed at the almost stalker sounding return quip.

Stain followed behind as Izuku tried to cut Shoto, but the teen blasted him away with a burst of fire. Izuku was knocked back into the previously made wall of ice supporting Iida. He ignored the boy's shouts for Shoto to leave and leave him in his paralyzed state to deal with the two.

Izuku heard the sound of tearing, but he didn't feel anything as he stood once more, pushing himself off of a larger slab of ice. He noticed the right side of his coat was flapping about from where it had been sliced by the sharp ice slab, but still he failed to notice the cut in his own side. Izuku moved to charge Shoto once more, but the other teen trapped him with more ice, leaving Izuku enough room to breathe and struggle. This was his mistake.

Izuku made short work of the ice, chopping through it while Shoto was busy fending off Stain. The other old pro hero had slipped past and was rounding the corner to check on Uraraka, but Izuku, who was speedily scaling the walls again, had not forgotten him.

He jumped down from the rooftop, gaining the pro's attention. "I don't think so." Izuku threw a small round object down by the veteran's feet, hiding him throwing another behind himself. Gran Torino jumped forward in the air, avoiding the small grenade all together. This held no effect as the grenade did not explode.

"A dud?" He looked back in time to see Izuku's fist bearing down on him.

"Not exactly."

The old man stumbled back with the force if the punch, tripping over another 'dud' Izuku had dropped on Uraraka's other side, where the old man stood. Shards went out in every way as a large trap net expanded and wrapped around the veteran. Gran Torino lay dazed and trapped on the asphalt. Izuku took two steps forward and grabbed a handful of the net, dragging it behind himself as he returned to the alleyway, ignoring Uraraka's weak protests. He had expected his master to have finished with Shoto by now, but was surprised to find the teen still standing, although swiftly losing ground.

Shoto finally slipped up, and Stain was about to bring down what would be the last blow of the battle, when Gunhead suddenly moved to shoot shrapnel at Stain. Izuku dropped the net and sped to in front of his master and friend. He snatched the abandoned man hole cover and held it as a shield in front of himself as the the projectiles scattered. Several missed the man hole altogether and made many more small nicks in his coat, but none cut Izuku severely.

The bullets stopped and Izuku lowered his makeshift shield. In the chaos, he had lost track of his master, who had been thrown away by a large shaft of ice by Shoto.

Izuku charged, feeling a strain on his right side that he couldn't place the reason for. He tried to slash at Gunhead, but the pro knew what to expect now. He ducked and dodged, avoiding the boy's blades as they moved out into the open street.

Behind his mask, Izuku grinned. He knew he was a dirty rotten cheater, and he had more than just blades hidden up his sleeves. He pulled out another small grenade, rolling it towards the pro and turning away. There was an appropriately blinding flash of light and Izuku seized his chance. He dashed forward, readying his short sword.

He was interrupted by a yellow boot to his back as Gran Torino freed himself of his bonds. Izuku grunted with shock, but was never given time to retaliate. The old man jumped and kicked, using light poles and cars to propel himself around faster than Izuku could track. Whenever the boy tried to reach towards his chest for something, anything, the old man slammed into him again. The constant beating kept Izuku stunned, and he was slowly finding it harder and harder to breathe. His mind filled with fog and he kept stumbling.

Torino landed his heel into the boy's right side and Izuku shouted with pain. The entirety of his side felt like it was on fire, and a few tears leaked out of his eyes from pain, shock, and stress. Nearby, Stain whipped around as he finally managed a lick of Shoto's blood. His eyes widened.

"Kid!" He couldn't help the worry in his tone at seeing how his student was struggling.

Stain ran forward, but all parties had forgotten about the prone form of Iida, who was finally freed of his paralyzed state. He shot out with his own kick, the flames in his engines turning bight blue and illuminating the street for a moment. A crack was heard as Iida's armored shin made forceful contact with Stain's chest. This sound, combined with Iida's shout and the flash of flame, drew all other eyes to the alleyway, giving Izuku the chance to crawl free from underneath Torino's boot. He stood and walked, rather unsteadily towards Stain who had backed out and around Iida and away from his own safety in the confined space.

Izuku leaned against the wall in the momentary respite. He was breathing heavily, holding his bleeding side. With his right hand, he scrabbled around his torso until he found the pocket he was looking for. He pulled out a damp white cloth and shuffled it underneath his lawyers of clothing and onto his gash. He hissed in a breath from the sting, the action sounding like a snake who had been stepped on through his mask.

"You good?" Stain had his back to Izuku, keeping an eye on both the teens and the pros. Izuku shrugged.

"Minor blood loss and what will make for a fine array of bruises in the morning. You?" Izuku pushed himself off of the wall and faced Iida and the paralyzed Shoto. He crouched down low, building energy in his boots, ready to spring forward.

There was a moment's pause, and then all hell broke loose once more.

Izuku shot up and ahead, with a helpful shout of "ICE" as Shoto sent out just that from where he laid on the alleyway floor. He landed behind them as Stain jumped to the side, letting the wall of ice carry on and nearly trap Gran Torino.

Izuku was highly skilled, and he had been training in real life combat for longer than his opponents, but with them aware of his tricks and ticks, even he couldn't last long against them. The fighting felt like they were both moving through syrup and at the speed of light. They exchanged blows, cuts, and dirty methods. Izuku continually tried to get in close to sedate them with his gas, but they both refused to let him in close to them. Shoto threw a trashcan lid at Izuku with a burst of flames, nearly catching the latter by surprise.

Finally, despite the odd time warp sensation, it was only two minutes before Izuku was kicked back out of the alley way and into his Master's back.

He grunted with pain. His side was throbbing from the continual berating and he almost threw the small cloth away altogether, but held himself back as he struggled to regain a proper standing position.

He looked halfway behind himself, stealing a look at his master. Stain was looking just as beat up, but he had inflicted the more damage as he didn't have to worry about not killing his opponents as Izuku did. At least, not until Uraraka recovered enough to join in as Gunhead's replacement. The pro had gotten a rather deep stab would in his shoulder above the lung, and was out of the fight once more.

Izuku breathed out heavily.

"Perhaps we should consider our losses. We got our original target, and these two will be easily defeated once we are back at our best, among more." Izuku looked at his master again, and saw a strange look pass over the man's face.

Resignation?

"Open a portal kid."

Izuku dropped a marble discreetly, a large gate of warping energy opening to the side. He stepped to the side so they could jump in together once again.

Iida rushed forward. "No! I will bring you BOTH DOWN I SWEAR!"

"Stay back child!" Torino warned, but Stain was already in motion.

Stain did not grab Izuku as they all expected. He did not jump through either.

Instead, Stain pushed Izuku through, raising his now blood covered hand to his mouth as Izuku shrieked.

"NO!!" Izuku reached his hand out before he was frozen. "MAST-" the echoing word was cut off as the .5th of a second time frame Izuku had installed himself, ran out, and the gateway dissolved.

A/N

Hey hey hey! Look who's back with another record breaking chapter! 2100 words, not including this a/n. You guys, this is the longest chapter I have ever written! And most of it was fighting, which is a total pain to write sometimes.

Also next chapter will be the most violent one, by my standards that is. And we are getting closer and closer to finishing the first book! I am estimating it will be either 20 or 21 chapters in total so, not much left!

Also, DARCRY1. I hate to disappoint you, but no. I can't have izus mask come off and have Kacchan realize. Why? He is on the other side of the country. Also cuz he isn't supposed to know just yet. Soon, but not yet.

I think that's all my lovies! So long!


	19. Stained

The young boy pulled and strained against his invisible bonds, tears flowing freely and pooling in his goggles. He couldn't move an inch, let alone remove his head gear to wipe his eyes. He started a mental countdown, estimating how much time had passed and keeping track with it as his mind sped along a mile a minute.

Stain couldn't last long against 5 opponents, three of which he wouldn't kill, and more soon enough. Was he running? Could he stand to leave such unworthy idols behind? How much time had passed now? 30-45 seconds? Izuku grunted with stress and frustration at how slowly time was passing. Neither could hold out for another two minutes. Izuku felt as though he were about to explode from pent up emotions and adrenaline, and surely, if Stain was fighting, he couldn't last much longer.

Izuku prayed and hoped that his master was simply running, and had pushed Izuku through to assure he would be safe.

A minute now? Minute thirty?

Half way through his time limit. All Stain had to do now was hold-

Izuku suddenly crashed to the floor, his body freed.

It took his shocked mind a moment to comprehend what happened. There was no reason for Stain to release him early unless he was right outside the door or-

Or if he wasn't able to keep him paralyzed any more.

Izuku was filled terror as he dashed through the open window and back out on top of the roof tops. He ran as he never had before, cursing the distance from their hideout to Hosu.

Every possible worst case scenario flashed in his mind, prompting him to charge up his boots and run even faster. As he crossed gaps previously inaccessible to him with ease, he began to feel the strain the boots were putting on his legs. The drawback to his strength and speed amplifying gloves and boots was that there was only so much he could take before debilitating cramps started to set in. He knew that, assuming he got out to see the dawn, he would have his worst round of cramps yet, but he threw reason in the metaphorical trash as he rushed to his Master's side.

Finally, he reached a rooftop overlooking the street that had been turned into a battle scene. He crouched down, opting to stay hidden as he searched for his master.

He froze, even though Stain's quirk influence on him had long since worn off.

His master, the last person he had left, the only person who had known everything about him, was slumped in a police van, the door swinging shut with a loud click.

Izuku, was too late.

He started hyperventilating, panic settling in and filling every corner of his being as all rational thought was pushed from his mind.

He was too late.

He was alone again.

He had no one, and he could do nothing.

A shout down below grabbed his attention. Shoto had been describing the battle, and had been in the middle of explaining how 'Stain had someone who seemed to be his apprentice or something-' when the familiar figure on the rooftop caught his eye. Shoto pointed.

"There! He came back!"

All eyes turned to the figure in the shadows, and away from behind themselves where another figure appeared. Izuku jumped to his feet, a cry of warning nearly leaving his lips. Not that they would have been able to obey in time anyway.

The winged figure swooped and grabbed the first person it saw, which was also creating the most noise.

Nomu wrapped his claws around Shoto's chest, lifting and flying away with the teen.

The number two hero, Endeavor, shouted and rushed after his youngest son. The Nomu didn't halt, and Endeavor was too late.

A blur leaped through the air, the faint shadow on the rooftop disappearing without notice. Izuku crashed into the offending beast, making it veer off course. Barely giving himself time to get secure, he reached down and grabbed Shoto's arm. With his other hand he reached across the beast's shoulder and plunged his long knife into the Nomu's chest.

The beast shrieked and plummeted. Nomu's claws loosened and Izuku pulled Shoto upwards. Shoto clung to Izuku in terror as the Apprentice freed his blood stained knife. Izuku, still holding tightly to Shoto, jumped before the beast crashed. They landed heavily on the writhing creature's back. A terrible snap rung throughout the still air.

Without delay, Izuku plunged his knife once again into the beast, sinking it into Nomu's exposed brain, twisting and pulling the weapon out with a disgusting squelch.

Izuku stilled momentarily as all noise ceased, then slowly pushed his shaking friend off of himself. Shoto tried to say anything, to ask why he had been saved, but he remained frozen.

The two stared at each other, equals, for the shortest moment before Stain's Apprentice forcefully pushed Shoto away, attempting to jump to safety himself.

Izuku didn't make it.

The tips of his fingers had just brushed the wall when a flaming hand closed on the back of his coat. Endeavor threw Izuku onto the brick road with incredible strength. The boy would have shouted in pain had not all the air in his lungs suddenly left him gasping.

Endeavor didn't give Izuku a chance to recover. The hulking man grabbed the front of Izuku's coat, raising the smaller figure above eye level.

"Two birds, one stone." The Pro grinned as Izuku struggled to catch his breath.

Shoto snapped out of his daze as Endeavor reached his free hand forward to remove Izuku's mask as the boy fought in the larger man's hand.

"No!" Shoto squawked and leapt forward. "What are you doing?! He just saved my life!" Endeavor struck Shoto aside with his free hand, momentarily forgetting to expose Izuku's identity.

This proved to be a very costly mistake for all, not just father and son. If Shoto hadn't jumped to Izuku's defense and distracted his father, Izuku might've been defeated that night along with his own 'father'. Many people who would die by their hands would still be alive, and many more would have bodies that wouldn't have been debilitated or mutilated by their hands. The world could not have changed how it did, and the possibilities of it all would keep Shoto lying awake many nights for the rest of his life. He didn't know what could have happened if he hadn't shown Izuku mercy.

But he had shown Izuku mercy, and had to forever live with the weight of his actions.

As Shoto was knocked aside, Endeavor made two mistakes. One, he took his eyes off of a very dangerous and armed captive, and two, he hit his own son, who happened to be said captive's friend.

Izuku shouted in rage and plunged his knife into Endeavor's forearm, pulling from elbow to wrist, and reached into a hidden pocket in his other arm. The same time as he dug his blade into the Pro's arm, he flung a fistful of blinding powder into the man's eyes. Endeavor roared in pain as his arm went limp and useless.

Izuku, landing nimbly on his feet, pushed Endeavor with great strength, knocking him flat onto his back with ease. The Apprentice jumped on top of his opponent and raised his long knife well above his head.

"No!" Shoto couldn't move this time, frozen in his weak position on the road.

Izuku pushed Endeavor's head to the side and brought the blade speeding downwards. It dug itself perfectly between two bricks a centimeter from Endeavor's eyes.

Silence fell like a woolen blanket. The gravity of the situation sunk in as they all realized that the number 2 pro hero had been taken down in less than two seconds by one little more than a child. Endeavor stilled as he realized how close he had been to having his life ended.

Izuku panted, rage boiling forth.

"It's people like you I hate the most." The child's voice carried easily in the street, unhindered by other noises. "You wave your power about as if it's some trophy." Pure malice filled the heavy voice as Izuku leaned the blade a fraction closer to Endeavor's nose. "You are the worst of them all. You deserve to be purged the most."

Terror washed over the on lookers in waves, paralyzing them where they were. They all somehow innately knew that if Stain's Apprentice chose to take the Pro's life, none of them would be able to stop him. Far above, the news helicopter focused in on the scene. The reporters terrified voice filled screens all over the country. Izuku leaned forward slightly. Everyone held their breath, knowing this was the deciding moment.

"But not yet."

Izuku turned Endeavor's head so they could look each other in the eyes. The pro saw only cold hate and an iron will in those eyes.

"I want to know the full extent of what you've done, Enji Todoroki. I have no doubt that there is even more than what I already know about." Izuku tilted his head to the side, his malice filled aura diminishing slightly as he thought. "That, and even I wouldn't kill a boy's father, no matter how terrible, before his own eyes."

Izuku turned his head to look at Shoto, nodding as if they were old friends. He stood, one foot resting on Endeavor's chest near his throat. Izuku looked out and glared at the Pro's standing frozen a distance away.

"Well? Aren't you going to do something?" He spread his arms out, shouting to make his words clear. "I am standing over the body of your fallen comrade, his son lying close by." Izuku took a step forward, his grip around his knife tightening. "Won't you fight me?!" His whole body tensed as his pent up anger at the unfair and unevenly weighted world he had to live in exploded out of him until he was screaming. "AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE SO MUCH BETTER?!" He took another step, all watching with shock. He raised his knife, making a fist of his free hand. "COME ON! SEE IF I WON'T HESITATE YOU FAKES!"

His malefic aura returned, stronger than ever, freezing the heroes and students in their places. Izuku looked ready to charge at them all, but the spell was broken as the female pro collapsed backwards in shock.

Izuku's eyes snapped to her, and she could feel his gaze boring into her as he slowly returned to a neutral standing position.

"I knew it." He slid his long knife back into its sheath finally, adjusting his coat to a more comfortable and proper position. "You all are weak." He shook his head, throwing one last shout over his shoulder. "None of you are worthy but All Might." He turned, nodding to Shoto once more. "Stay safe." Izuku muttered so only his friend could hear, and faced the wall again.

Endeavor found some hidden strength, rolling over and reaching to take hold of Izuku's ankle. Instead, he received a steel toed boot to his temple. "Stay down." Izuku ordered the unconscious figure before leaping to his safety on the rooftops.

Izuku chased down the road, following where the police van had driven with his Master. He stopped where the van had taken it's first turn away from the wall Izuku stood on and the boy collapsed. He started shaking as trauma and shock set in.

He was fully alone for the first time in his life.

He reached up with an unsteady hand and pulled his ski goggles off. He tugged his blood soaked gloves off as well and wiped his eyes with his quivering hand. Izuku trembled.

"What do you want?"

A/N

I gotta stop it with the cliffies. Also, say it with me, TWO MORE CHAPTERS! While I can't say for sure when book 2 will come out, these last two chapters, which will be relatively short, with most probably be out by the end of this new week.

Also, DARCRY1, my friend. Worry not. I have a time and a place for the dramatic reveal of Izu's identity, but I will also include (just for you (though I was probably going to do it anyway)) them (being All Might, the Bakugos, and 1A) making the connections that Izu is Stain's Apprentice. They won't be 100% sure until said reveal, but that's all later.

Also, all you dears going on about toga and izu and shipping. Have I got some bad news for you. NOPE. Y'see, Toga worries me greatly, especially when she is near my boi. I'm not going to go on a ship lecture here, but they will not be a canon relationship in this story, nor will she feature a large and influential part either. You'll see why later in bk2. Yes she'll be there from time to time, and she'll go on about how she's certain he's cute underneath that mask, but, like in the canon story, she really rather creeps him out.

Also, I gotta stop telling you guys things like this as I'm just gonna end up spoiling everything for you lovies.

So long!


	20. Alone

'What do you want?' Izuku could barely even muster up any bitterness in his voice as he heard the footsteps drawing nearer.

One soft step, followed by a click came nearer ad the old wizened pro stepped closer to Izuku and sat down. Gran Torino looked over at the weary and nearly beaten teen who wasn't even bothering to acknowledge the pro aside from his blunt question.

"You put on quite the show back there."

Izuku scoffed. "Oh? Let me guess. 'Your master has corrupted you'? 'There's still a chance for you to come back to a normal life'? Some rant on how I can come back from what I've done?"

The old pro shrugged. "I was thinking of throwing something like that in here."

Izuku growled. "Sorry, but if you're just going to preach at me, I'll cut my losses and leave early."

Torino waved his hands. "No, no. I just felt that you needed someone to talk to."

Izuku raised his eyebrows, sarcasm clear in his look. "And you think you're the person to meet that need? How do you know that I don't have friends and sympathizers to wail to about my woes?" He lied. Izuku knew that he had no one left. If he were to be with the few he considered friends, that would mean he would be stuck in a possibly padded room never to return to the life he loved out on the run.

"Do you see anyone else here talking with you?"

Izuku frowned behind his mask as he knew what the old man had said was true.

"And what exactly is your great plan to return me to the side of the light? I fully understand what it is that I am doing, and I am doing it wholly willingly."

Gran Torino nodded looking away grimly. "I figured. If you were here against your will, you wouldn't have complied with your master's wishes so instantly, nor would you have returned for him."

Izuku's fists tightened. "You got that right." His voice was heavy, filled with tense emotion. He started to shake again slightly. "If - if he only listened. If he had come with me he'd - he'd -" Izuku's head bowed between his crossed arms as his shaking intensified. "I don't understand."

Torino quickly turned the subject, realizing the instability of their current conversation. "I won't pretend to sympathize with what you do, but I can at least understand that you have great potential." Izuku stilled and slowly raised his head to look back at the pro. "You, if you keep your ideals and convictions, hold great promise." Izuku's eyes widened as he realized what the pro was inadvertently saying. "I feel that you can change the world, for better or for worse." Gran Torino looked Izuku dead in the eyes, all fear lacking in his gaze. "What I want to know is if you're going to take that opportunity, or lay down and let this pass you by?"

Izuku stared at him, uncertainty in his own wavering gaze. Stain's words echoed back to him. He had promised, if anything permanent were to happen to his master, to go home. But, he didn't know what to do. He had never expected this to actually happen. He had vehemently sworn to Stain that he wouldn't let anything to tear them apart.

But now here they were.

Half of Izuku, his stubbornness, demanded that he track down the heroes who had taken his only support away from him. He burned to go and uncover the villains who were responsible for this all and tear their limbs off.

But, could he do it?

His reasonable and responsible side, the other half of himself, pointed out that he had promised to leave this life behind should the two be separated permanently. Stain surely must have thrown him through for a reason. To make sure he was safe so he could go home? And Izuku hadn't been able to do anything to help his master, who was now being driven away to rot behind bars.

What would he do, and could he do it?

"I don't know." His voice was weakly quiet. He shifted away. "I don't know, but I will stay until I do."

Izuku stood and immediately hissed and held his side. He grunted and pulled the blood soaked cloth away from his side. "What is wrong with you?" He pulled out another cloth, sniffing it through his mask. He growled. "Rancid. Of course."

Izuku shoved the useless cloths back into his pockets, throwing a marble and moving to step through the new portal.

"One moment." Izuku halted as Gran Torino stood and faced him. "Who are you?"

Izuku's shoulders slowly slumped. "I don't know right now." The two stood frozen for a breif moment.

Izuku stepped through, and vanished with a small pop.

Two days later, Gran Torino would be sitting in front of the captive. The grown man wouldn't meet his, or anyone else's gaze, staring only down inbetween his knees at the floor.

"That kid of yours sure is something important isn't he?"

The prisoner gave a half smile, meeting the eyes of the old pro. "He sure is." Stain agreed.

A/N

Yeah, so, shortie. And you lovely dears commenting so much, thank you! I have never gotten this many comments/follows/faves over anything before and I love it, I love you. 200 FOLLOWERS. TWO FLIPPING HUNDRED. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!

ILiekFishes, interesting idea but no. It sadly was not Shigaraki. The idea was really tempting however.

Also, Canadianblitz. Friend, I don't know when exactly I will be putting up the first chapters of bk2. I would like to get as caught up as is possible before I start writing bk2 which would mean at least getting to my library and seeing if they have the manga there. I been so caught up in writing this story that I haven't watched the latest episode/episodes on YouTube as doing so, while also balancing school, tends to make my brain melt in all kinds of bad ways. Of course though, my life is pretty 'stay at home, do school' so I don't get out much, so getting to my library to check may take awhile. (If you know any free sites that has the manga, tell me!) The final desicion on if I can get a job should be coming soon, which means if I do get a job, I will HAVE to learn to drive, and then I can just take myself to the library instead of needing someone else to take me.

But I digress. Short is, I wanna catch up first before probably publishing the first chapters (even though bk2 happens in what is in the anime) but that may take a little while. However! I WILL be writing in the mean time since I know what I want and since it is in what has been released in the anime.

WHEW!

(And, SombraTheWeeb, yeah I totally do love being evil to Izu. What gave it away?)

Any way! Last chapter up next, and boy am u going to have fun with it! The mall encounter, but of course, tweaked to fit my needs and to set up a basis for bk2, among other things. Anyone wanna guess who meets who / does what / who, what, when, where, and why in the trashcan?

So long!


	21. All Might

Shoto couldn't breathe. Or think for that matter either.

Funny how small, important functions like that abandon you when you've got a psychopath choking you with four fingers.

Shigaraki giggled something about All Might, how he was the cause of everthing, but Shoto was barely able to hear him. The blood rushed in his ears with an alarming sound, as if there was a tidal wave in his head.

Finally, after what felt like an hour of struggling against the insane villain, Shoto was suddenly thrown a lifeline of quiet.

"Hey. Let go of him." The familiar voice was calm, sounding almost uniterested. Shoto opened his eyes with a snap and focused on the newcomer, as did Shigaraki, who was suddenly quiet.

The newcomer wore simple black jeans and a blue t-shirt, with a black beanie covering his hair. He wore glasses which covered a pale face and shocking, yellow irises. He carried a red backpack and walked strangely, favoring his right side. The lower half of his mouth was covered by a cold mask and he wore a light layer of makeup, not that you could tell. All effectively hid his recognisable features and gave him a strange aura.

"You have no business here, Shigaraki."

Tomura laughed.

"So, the brat finally decides to show his face again after two months of nothing." Tomura leaned forward, pitting his elbow on his knee and resting his head in his hand casually. "You know, I was hoping I'd run into you, but when I met up with dear old half'n'half, I couldn't resist the chance." He grinned insanely, malice hiding underneath.

"Then your business is with me, not Shoto."

Shoto's eyes widened and his mouth parted as he realized just who was standing in front of himself again. Stain's Apprentice, once again, working to preserve his life.

Tomura laughed again and shoved Shoto aside. "True." His happy demeanor fell away as he stood and looked Izuku in the eyes. "I don't agree with this, but Master is insistent we have another talk. Just you and him." Tomura pulled out a slim piece of paper, waving it in the air. "It'd be dumb to refuse him."

Izuku took the paper, unfolding it and reading the location scribbled inside. "It would equally dumb to go back on what I have previously stated." He pocketed the paper, looking at an incredibly infuriated Shigaraki. "I'll come, but don't expect me to change."

"See you then."

As Tomura pushed past Izuku, he made sure to knock into the younger teen's right side. Though Shigraki didn't see it, he caused a great effect on Izuku. Shoto watched as the already place face grew several shades paler.

Shoto stood and faced the teen who had saved him twice now. Izuku looked back with tired, weary, but determined eyes. His iron will showed through, even in clearly trying times such as this one.

Therefore, it came as a complete shock to Shoto as Izuku started swaying where he stood and nearly fell on his face. Shoto dashed forward and grabbed his savior, pulling him over to the fountain and making him sit.

Izuku shamelessly fell over to the side and leaned on Shoto's shoulder, nearly blacking out from the pain he was in.

"Dumb - cut." He wheezed, holding onto his side gently.

Shoto carefully held Izuku off of himself and looked down at the teen's side. A hint red had started seeping through the shirt and jacket. Shoto bit his lip and started looking around for someplace he could take villain. Izuku shifted, gaining Shoto's attention, and pointed feebly to the side. There was a deserted hallway between two stores, the inside hidden from view.

Shoto, not wasting time, pulled Izuku to his feet and started helping him walk to the safe hole. He ignored the other boy's protests and gasps of pain. By some miracle, the dark hallway had one lone chair.

After gently pulling of the other boy's backpack, Shoto made Izuku sit once again, and it could have been the lack of lighting, but Shoto could have sworn that Izuku was deathly paler after the short walk. Shoto leaned his savior back to rest fully against the chair. He braced himself, and slowly pulled back the villain's shirt and jacket to look at his side. He nearly threw up at what he saw.

Izuku's side, after having two months of time which should have healed it, was a green and blue mess. New swelling had started up from where Shigaraki had pushed him and Shoto could only imagine the pain Izuku was in at the moment. The only good thing was the self applied stitches, but even those looked strained and old.

Shoto swore quietly, prompting a laugh from Izuku.

"Disgusting isn't it?"

"When-? How-?" Shoto couldn't find words at the moment.

"Hosu. Heal cloth - grew rancid - from your fire I think - need to keep cool - put one on - bad - cut wouldn't heal - now, this." Izuku spoke very brokenly, his own heavy breathing cutting his sentences short.

Shoto placed his right hand near the wound, cooling the hot area. With his other hand, he reached up and felt Izuku's forehead.

"And on top of everything else, you've got a low fever." Shoto ran his hand through his hair, thoroughly at a loss of what to do.

"Backpack." Izuku muttered tiredly.

"What?" Shoto was confused at the strange statement.

"What? I've been trying to get rid of this thing for two months now. You think that when it took turn for the worse that I wouldn't keep first aid on hand?" Izuku scoffed. "Honestly. I may have failed in taking care of myself, but I'm not stupid."

Shoto frowned at the sassy quip, but chose not to blow up over it as Izuku looked ready to pass out. Reaching into the bag he found that it was indeed full of medical supplies and energy bars, along with one bruised apple and a bottle of water. He pulled out a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and and a needle, when it suddenly hit him.

He was going to have to preform first aid that could gave very costly repercussions if he did it wrong. And on a villain no less.

Izuku saw his pause. "First time?" Shoto looked up at Izuku, worried. "I know the feeling. Master had me take care of myself the first time I got cut. This isn't the first time I've done stitches on myself, or others."

"That's all well and good for you," Shoto quipped in return "but I've never needed to apply first aid over something so severe before, let alone stitches."

"I trust you."

Shoto huffed. "That's the fever talking."

"Then do something about that. You have an ice quirk, do you not?"

And so, Shoto began to patch up a villain who still had a heart left. He first poured water on a cloth, cooling it and placing it on Izuku's forehead. Then, he had to cut the stitches. He continually fought down the urge to be sick as the blood soaked strings popped under the small knife. He slowly cleaned the wound, which continued to bleed lightly. Izuku nearly did pass out from pain when Shoto started cleaning with the rubbing alcohol, and had to take the cloth off of his forehead and bite down on it through his cold mask. Izuku stayed awake however, and, knowing more about first aid, continually instructed Shoto on what to do.

Finally, Shoto had to do the stitches. He gulped, needle and thread in hand.

"I trust you. You can do this."

Shoto's hands shook. He was not prepared at all for what he had to do.

"I don't think I can."

Izuku reached and laid a hand on Shoto's shaking ones.

"You have to, I'm afraid. Don't worry, I'll tell you what to do."

And so he did.

Shoto slowly, carefully stitched up the other teen. He made a few mistakes, but the end result looked significantly better than the original. The colors and swelling had receeded, and the stitches held the gash together more closely. The bleeding had stopped and Izuku's fever had reduced slightly.

Shoto felt as though he had been working for hours and felt exhausted when in truth, the work had taken about only ten minutes.

Izuku leaned back and sighed in relief as Shoto began bandaging his lower torso, and felt himself almost drifting off as he no longer needed to make sure his friend wasn't going to horribly mess up in patching his side. No one can mess up wrapping a cloth around something too badly after all.

"Not bad for you first time." He complimented dryly in an attempt to stay awake.

Shoto huffed. "Well, I did owe you for two months ago and, well, a few minutes ago."

Izuku laughed lightly. "Yeah. Guess we're even now."

Shoto laughed too, but it soon petered off and he hesitated in his work. Izuku looked down at him, raising an eyebrow but not saying anything.

"Why, did you save me?" Shoto looked Izuku in the eyes. It was evident that he had been wanting to ask that question for a while, but due to the tense situation, he hadn't had the chance.

Izuku leaned his head back again, thinking over the question.

"There are lots of reasons, I suppose. For starters, you and I are in the same boat."

Shoto was confused. "How?"

Izuku shrugged. "Well, we're both the next generation of what we believe in. That is also why, Master, promised to me that, if we come across any hero highschoolers, we will spare you until you graduate, giving you the max amount of time to change." His words slowed as he remembered the painful promise he had been ignoring.

A cold tingle of trepidation washed over Shoto as he finished wrapping. "What did you promise in return?"

Izuku shot a cold look to Shoto, warning him not to press that subject. "None of your concern." Izuku cast his gaze away as Shoto pulled his mouth into a line and nodded.

"I'll go get some food and water us both." He stood and wiped his hands mostly clean of any remaining blood.

Izuku nodded in agreement and shifted into a more comfortable position, closing his eyes. "Just a plain sandwich and ice water if you don't mind."

Shoto turned back to Izuku, meaning to ask what all he wanted, but the boy had already passed out. Izuku didn't look peaceful or happy when he slept anymore. He looked tired, sick, and sad. He had often woken himself up by thrashing around in his sleep these last two months. He would wake, then immediately rush to the bathroom and be violently sick.

Shoto turned away, feeling sad for a reason he couldn't pin down.

He took advantage of the quiet and time by himself to think over the hectic scene he had just gone through. All he wanted was a day of peace to relax with his friends to celebrate the end of their first year in UA. Instead, he had been found and used by a psychopath, been saved by a villain turned his savior two times over, and had just spent the past ten minutes playing nurse to said villain.

Not exactly what he had planned.

It wasn't even twelve yet, but the lines for food and lunch were long, and it took Shoto twenty minutes to finally have their lunch handed to him. It took another five at least to find the hall again.

Izuku was shifting in his sleep fitfully, muttering incoherently. "Hey. Wake up i got the food." Shoto set the bags and drink down on the hall floor, and started tapping the sides of the chair loudly. He knew he shouldn't touch Izuku, but he had to do something as his words didn't seem to have any effect on waking the restless teen up.

He tapped louder, giving one last "Hey!" He backed up quickly as Izuku shot to his feet and lowered to a fighting position, still half asleep. Shoto scrambled backwards, failing to find his own feet underneath himself. "Woah, hey it's me!"

Izuku started, lowering his arms and softening his scowl. "Oh." He stepped over and offered Shoto a hand. "I'm sorry."

Shoto took the offered hand with a sigh, clambering to his feet gratefully. "It's fine. It's my own fault. You wouldn't wake up so I was tapping your chair."

Izuku somehow managed a smile. "Good thing you didn't try to shake me awake. Who knows what could have happened."

Shoto nodded, being rather protective of keeping all of his fingers and arms.

Izuku didn't eat his sandwich, keeping it wrapped in its bag, but instead slipped the straw of his ice water underneath his mask and drank quietly. Shoto looked at him strangely. "Aren't you going to eat?" He had already gotten through half of his own sandwich.

Izuku raised an eyebrow and pointed to his mask. "I don't wear this simply because I have an infection you know."

Shoto lowered his gaze.

They ate in silence.

"So." Izuku set his half finished cup of water on the floor, looking down at Shoto. "Tell me about your dear old dad."

Shoto looked up to him quickly. "I'm sorry?"

Izuku rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Your father. I haven't forgotten what all I said that night. And beyond that, there is always a reason why a father abuses his own son, who won't fight back." Izuku looked at his friend with a steady gaze. "You asked me questions and got answers. Seems only fair I do the same."

Shoto swallowed. "You'll make me give you information on my father, so you can do gods know what to him?" He set down the last of his sandwich pensively. "I'd imagine you could find out everything you need on your own."

Though his mask hid it, Shoto could tell that The Apprentice was smiling. "Oh I can, but I'd rather hear it from you. First person sources are the most reliable after all."

Shoto breathed heavily as Stain's Apprentice held him in his unbreakable gaze. Tension filled the air.

A soft clicking was what saved Shoto. The two teens whipped their heads to the entrance, eyes widening as a small metallic automaton scuttled into the hall. Izuku leapt to his feet, but Shoto just let out a shaky, but relieved, laugh.

"Oh, it's just Aithusa." He held out his hand as Izuku started.

"I'm sorry?"

The small Aithusa hopped onto Shoto's extended hand, curling up and chirping inquisitively. Clasped in her front paws was a small, rolled up note, simply saying 'hurry up where ever you are, and maybe try answering your phone.' written by Kirishima. Shoto read the note, ignoring the shocked teen in front of him.

Izuku had, in all honesty, completely forgotten about his little creation. He couldnt believe that he had forgotten about the little dear, and slowly bent his hand near her to sniff from where she sat on Shoto's knee.

As Shoto finished reading the note, he was shocked to see the murderous, violent, and hurt teen before him, giggling and loving on little Aithusa. She ran and twisted inbetween his fingers, crawling along his arm and nipping at his ear. He handled her with amazing grace and skill, remembering every part of her delicate and nimble body. He extended her wings, measuring them , and she blew fire happily, chirriping away melodicly.

Shoto simply assumed that the little thing had taken an interest in the teen, unaware of the happy reunion taking place before him.

"Um."

Izuku looked up, having almost forgotten his friend sitting before him, too wrapped up in his creation. "What? Can't one inventor admire another's work?"

Shoto scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm not sure how my friend would react. He's a bit protective of Aithusa when it comes to others handling her."

Izuku watched lovingly as Aithusa ran in loops on his palm, trying to catch her own tail. "Oh, I would never hurt her."

Shoto hummed, deciding to trust the other teen this once. Plus, she was distracting him from the subject of Shoto's father. He finished his food, then stood.

"Well, my friends are waiting for me. I have to go."

Izuku nodded, placing Aithusa on his shoulder, and stood as well after placing his food bag in his backpack.

The two walked to the food court, making small talk. The subject of Shoto's father had been shoved completely from his mind as Aithusa ran along her creator's shoulders, dipping into his pockets and popping her head back out. Soon Shoto was able to turn the subject back onto Izuku, asking him questions and continually getting at least half answers.

As they neared the food court, Shoto asked something that had been bothering him.

"What are you going to do next?" He asked slowly.

The change in the happy teen's demeanor was surprising. He grew dark, one hand frozen from where he had been tickling Aithusa's nose.

"I don't know." His voice was grim. "I feel, useless! He's gone and there was nothing I could do, nothing I can do!" He scratched his chin through the cold mask and glared out at the happy throng of people.

"Not everyone can last forever." Shoto said quietly. "Not even All Might, I'd wager."

Izuku suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, causing Shoto to turn around and look at him inquisitvely. Izuku's eyes widened.

"All Might..."

Shoto felt a cold tingle run down his spine once again, as Stain's Apprentice looked out dazedly. Worry began clawing it's way up Shoto's throat. What had he done now?

Izuku suddenly snapped out of it as Aithusa, demanding the attention of her creator back, nipped his ear. Izuku jumped, looking down at the small thing and laughing genuinely.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I take my eyes off you for a single second?" Aithusa yapped in response.

Izuku looked back up to Shoto, a new sparkle in the eyes of the former. "Well, I shall let you get back to your friends now." Aithusa hopped moodily back onto Shoto's shoulder at Izuku's prompt, the teen giving Shoto a two finger salute. "I shall see you around Shoto."

And then, he was gone. Shoto stared as he seemingly just melted into the crowd without a trace.

\- across Japan -

Izuku stepped into his living room, still smiling widely. Before he knew it, he was laughing.

All this time, for these two months, he had been feeling useless, purposeless, for nothing. He looked to the fridge, grinning at the picture of All Might they kept there.

Izuku needed to prove to the world, and to himself, that he wasn't just a little kid running along behind a murderer. He was someone to be feared. Someone, who was ready to bring their tidal wave of change to the world.

He only had one obstacle now, and then society would be putty in his hands.

Shoto was right after all.

Even All Might, couldn't stay forever.

A/N

BEHOLD! Bk1 finished, longest chapter AGAIN (3200 WORDS), and it's done on my b-day! If this isn't a good omen I don't know what is.

How'd y'all like that? Ready for bk2? Like I said, I've already started writing the first chapter, but it may take me a while to post it, so here's a promise. If I can't get to the library/read the manga in any other way in a week, I'll post the first chapter and we'll get started.

Also, Darcry, my friend. I brought Aithusa back just for you, and to cure writers block. The big reveal goes down in bk2, not telling you when or how, but I like it. However, I am considering taking your reveal suggestions and making little oneshots with them in my oneshot comp which I haven't been writing in.

Anyway, thank you all SOOO much for all of the love and support you guys have been giving me! I have been really challenging myself a lot in this fic and I'm glad you all have been enjoying this so much.

You guys mean a lot to me, and, as always, I'll see you later Lovies. IN BOOK 2!

SO LONG!


	22. NOTICE

YO PEEPS, CHAPTER 1 OF BK 2 IS OUT!

GO! GO READ!

Cruel Fate, by me of course.

NOW GET! WHY YOU STILL HERE?


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